On Sunday, a cargo ship encountered an assault by several small vessels while navigating near the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK military sources.
The incident took place just off the coast of Sirik, Iran, slightly east of the strategic waterway, as reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
Fortunately, all crew members emerged unscathed, and no organization has stepped forward to take responsibility for the incident.
The Iranian military has consistently issued threats against any ships attempting passage through the strait, demanding tolls and assurances of non-affiliation with the US or Israel.
The targeted vessel was on a northbound route into the Persian Gulf, rather than exiting it.
This event adds to a series of over two dozen attacks in the region since the onset of hostilities with Iran, with the last recorded incident occurring on April 22.
Tehran has effectively shut down the key oil chokepoint with repeated attacks and threats on cargo ships and tankers that tried to sail through.
Despite the US and Israel sinking Iran’s navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps maintains a fleet of small patrol boats along the strait.
President Trump ordered last month to “shoot and kill” any small boats that pose a threat to shipping traffic.
The Islamic Republic has warned that the Strait of Hormuz, which once saw the transport of 20% of the world’s oil supply, will remain under its control regardless of the outcome of the tenuous peace talks with the US.
“[Tehran] “will not back down from our position on the Strait of Hormuz, and it will not return to its prewar conditions,” Iran’s deputy parliament speaker said Sunday.
Trump, who has maintained a US Navy blockde on Iran’s ports to exert economic pressure on the country, recently warned that the US could renew airstrikes in Iran if a peace deal could not be reached.
With Post wires
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
