A tanker traveling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught on fire early Tuesday morning after being struck by a projectile, according to the British military.
Background
The attack is the latest targeting a vessel moving through the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and natural gas is traded. Iranian state television reported that the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings, but did not directly claim responsibility for the assault.
Tehran has repeatedly declared that only its approved route through the strait is safe and is suspected of attacking other ships that have used alternative routes close to the Omani shore. The U.S. is eager to press ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the strait and addressing other issues, including Iran’s nuclear program.
International Response
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the tanker had been hit near Limah, Oman, in the strait. The UKMTO reported that the projectile hit the port side of the vessel while it was trying to travel south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman.
Iranian state TV, quoting anonymous sources, implied that Tehran carried out the assault on a tanker it said was carrying natural gas from Qatar. However, there has been no official claim from the Islamic Republic for the attack.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
