A British maritime monitoring agency reported that a cargo ship was hit by an unknown projectile overnight off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. This incident occurred as the United States and Iran made opposing claims about whether they were holding talks to wind down the war.
US and Iran Claims
President Donald Trump stated that the two sides are resuming talks, but Iran insisted it was only talking with Oman and the discussion focused on the Strait of Hormuz. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center did not provide further information on the ship, including what flag the vessel was sailing under or whether it was carrying cargo.
The ship suffered damage, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. The town of Al Khasab sits on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula that juts into the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and natural gas passes.
The strait has been effectively shut by Iran’s attacks on shipping since the start of the war, while the US has also imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the waterway. Trump expressed frustration with Iran, suggesting Tehran had asked for the talks, which are critical to ending the conflict and reviving stalled cargo traffic through the strait.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
