Hormuz ceasefire on edge as Iran resumes attacks on ships, US says
Cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz. (File Photo)Iran’s military fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, according to two US officials cited by Axios. The reported attack came after a one-week agreement between the US and Iran on halting strikes in the strait had expired, putting a fragile memorandum of understanding at risk of collapse.
A tanker traveling near Oman’s coast was hit by an unknown projectile and caught fire, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. A separate commercial vessel was also struck by an Iranian missile, a US official told Axios. Both ships suffered damage, though no casualties were reported in either incident. The renewed attacks come just weeks after Washington and Tehran signed a 14-point agreement meant to de-escalate tensions in the region.
What happened in the Strait Of Hormuz?
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while traveling south about 8 nautical miles east of Oman’s Limah, causing a fire, Reuters reported. UKMTO said no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.
A US official told Axios that a separate commercial ship was hit by an Iranian missile. Both vessels suffered damage, but there were no casualties, the official said. Reuters, citing Axios, reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships in the strait.
Axios reported that the attack came after a one-week agreement between the US and Iran on halting strikes in the strait had expired. The resumption of Iranian attacks puts the memorandum of understanding signed less than three weeks ago at risk of unraveling, according to Axios.
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A US official told Axios that the US is likely to respond with strikes against Iranian targets.
What led up to this?
Axios reported that a round of indirect talks between the US and Iran in Doha last week ended without progress on the Strait of Hormuz issue.
CNN reported that Iran has used the strait as leverage since US and Israeli strikes on Tehran triggered retaliatory Iranian strikes and wider regional conflict. Tehran and Washington exchanged strikes even after signing the 14-point agreement in June, according to CNN. Iran has also said crew members must obtain permission to pass through routes approved by its officials.
On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its navy had deployed patrol boats to block the “Omani route,” according to Iranian state media and a Telegram channel affiliated with the IRGC.
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How are ships moving through the Strait?
Citing tracking data from MarineTraffic, CNN reported that nearly a third of vessels that crossed the strait between Friday and Sunday used a route along the coast of Oman. MarineTraffic said 108 boats crossed the strait during that period, of which 30 including crude and LPG tankers took the Omani route.
Traffic through the strait, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied gas supplies, was highest on Friday with 43 crossings, followed by 34 on Saturday and 31 on Sunday, according to MarineTraffic data cited by CNN. MarineTraffic described the activity as “operational but fragmented,” noting it should be read alongside the ongoing security and diplomatic situation.