E-Paper
Tanker catches fire after projectile strike in Strait of Hormuz off Oman's coast
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker was hit east of Limah in Oman.
A tanker travelling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught on fire early Tuesday morning after being struck by a projectile, the British military said.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said the tanker was hit east of Limah in Oman.
According to the UKMTO, the projectile struck the port side of the vessel as it was travelling south through the Strait of Hormuz towards the Gulf of Oman. The impact triggered a fire on board, though no casualties or environmental damage were reported.
The maritime agency said authorities are investigating the incident and advised vessels transiting the region to exercise caution and immediately report any suspicious activity.
Iran takes responsibility
Taking responsibility for the attack, the Iranian state television said a liquified natural gas tanker was attacked in Strait of Hormuz off Oman after it ignored warnings, AP reported.
Citing two US officials, Axios reported that Tehran's military fired at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night.
Also Read: What is Article 5 of the US-Iran MoU, how it is behind the latest strikes | Explained
The latest incident comes despite an understanding reached between the United States and Iran to halt attacks against each other after weeks of heightened military tensions in the region. The two countries had recently exchanged a series of strikes following an earlier attack in the Strait of Hormuz, before agreeing to pause direct hostilities in an indirect meeting in Qatar.
The US military had earlier said it carried out strikes on targets in Iran in response to an attack on a commercial vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the US, the military targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, along with coastal radar sites, after Iran allegedly struck the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel M/V Ever Lovely with a one-way attack drone on June 25 while it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast.
US President Donald Trump also criticised the reported Iranian attack, calling it a "foolish violation" of the ceasefire agreement. Speaking to reporters, Trump was asked whether Iran would face consequences for the drone attack on the commercial vessel.
"Well, you'll find out," he replied.
Iran, however, denied responsibility for the initial attack. It later retaliated to the US strikes by targeting American military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, further escalating tensions before both sides agreed to de-escalate.
Qatar meeting
The two sides later met in Qatar, where they agreed to halt all "kinetic" activity.
"We decided to stop all the kinetic activity," a senior US official told Axios.
According to another US official cited by Axios, both sides agreed to stand down "for now", allowing commercial vessels to move freely through the Strait of Hormuz while technical discussions continue.
Also Read: Mines, tolls and US strike on Iran: Shipping through Strait of Hormuz remains complicated
Talks on hold
Talks between US and Iran are on hold until after the burial of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the beginning of the war.
Referring to the large funeral gathering in Tehran, Trump suggested the gathering presented a military opportunity to wipe out the country' leadership. However, he said such a move was ruled out because diplomatic efforts were continuing.
"They are all there. One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with," he told US media outlet Axios.
Iran's warning
Iran’s joint military command had warned last Thursday that all oil tankers moving through the strait must use its approved routes.
“Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels,” the Iranian statement then said, AP reported.
It also said that interference by U.S. forces in the strait “will be met with a rapid and decisive reaction.”
Cargo vessel attacked
Separately, another maritime security incident was reported earlier this month.
According to the UKMTO, a cargo vessel came under attack southwest of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, on July 5. The vessel issued a distress alert, stating that it was under attack by unknown armed assailants.
