Two Ships Fired Upon by Iran While Passing Through the Strait of Hormuz

Two ships were hit by gunfire while crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The incident was reported to have occurred in the waters between Qeshm and Larak islands. However, the ships that were fired upon have not yet been identified.

Initially, commercial vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz received a radio message from the Iranian navy informing them that they were not permitted to pass. Several commercial ships trying to traverse the strait had previously received notifications from seafarers a day earlier that the Strait of Hormuz would be allowed to open but with limitations.

The ships that were fired upon turned back without completing the crossing, according to those sources. The UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) stated that it had received reports of the incident 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

The captain of a tanker said his vessel was approached by two warships from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which fired on the ship. The tanker and its crew were unharmed. A container ship was also hit by gunfire, according to maritime security sources.

Several ships reported that the Iranian navy had broadcast a VHF message stating that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed again.

“Attention all ships, due to the US government’s failure to fulfil its commitments in negotiations, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed again. No ships of any type or nationality are permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” read the radio message, as reported by detikNews.

Hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers are stranded in the Gulf. They are waiting to pass through the main waterway, which handles about 20% of the global flow of oil and liquefied natural gas.