Iran attacks Singapore-flagged ship in Strait of Hormuz

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the bridge sustained damage but there were no casualties.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a Singapore-flagged merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging the ship and raising questions about the durability of the agreement signed last week between the United States and Iran that calls for keeping the strategic waterway open to commercial shipping.

Two senior U.S. officials confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out the attack on the cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred near the coast of Oman and came hours after the Iranian paramilitary navy warned vessels not to travel through routes in the waterway that had not been approved by Tehran.

The attack struck the vessel’s bridge, the section of the ship that houses its navigation, communications and observation systems.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the bridge sustained damage but reported no casualties.

The Wall Street Journal said the incident represented an early challenge to the agreement signed by the United States and Iran in mid-June, which includes a commitment to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to maritime traffic.

The publication reported that the White House did not respond to its request for comment.

The newspaper also reported that Iran’s warning to commercial vessels preceded the attack by only a few hours.

Tehran had instructed ships to avoid routes through the strait that were not authorized by the Iranian regime.

Over the weekend, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic while demanding an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The latest attack took place after that closure and followed the reopening commitments contained in the U.S.-Iran agreement.

The International Maritime Organization said the Singapore-flagged vessel involved in the attack was not part of the evacuation program.

Before the regional conflict that began this spring, roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Disruptions to shipping in the narrow waterway have resulted in sharp fluctuations in global oil prices, making security in the passage a key concern for international trade.