Strait of Hormuz Heats Up Again, Cargo Ship Attacked

Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have risen again after a cargo ship was attacked while transiting the strategic shipping lane on Thursday (25/6) local time. According to a CNN report, a United States official said the vessel was targeted by an Iranian drone. However, further details regarding the incident have not been disclosed, and Iran has yet to claim responsibility for the attack. The incident occurred just hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz would only receive security guarantees if they used routes designated by Iran. The statement directly challenged claims by President Donald Trump’s administration, which had previously stated the Strait of Hormuz was safe and open for international shipping following an initial agreement towards peace between Washington and Tehran last week. This attack is the first incident reported since both countries agreed to begin a process towards resolving the conflict through diplomatic channels. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the cargo ship was struck by an unidentified projectile on the starboard side of the hull, causing damage to the ship’s bridge. Despite this, no casualties or environmental pollution were reported as a result of the incident. The attack occurred as shipping activity in the Strait of Hormuz was beginning to recover. MarineTraffic data showed that 70 ships transited the waters on Wednesday, the highest number since the conflict erupted in late February. Most vessels chose to sail along the coast of Oman, a route considered safer amid the still-unstable security situation.