Iran targets commercial ships with missiles in the Strait of Hormuz: report

On Monday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

According to reports, two commercial ships suffered substantial damage but no casualties were reported. Britain’s maritime security agency said a tanker caught fire being hit by an unidentified projectile east of Limah, Oman.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Tuesday that the tanker was hit on the left side while travelling southbound roughly 8 nautical miles east of Limah. At present, no casualties or environmental consequences have been reported.

The reports underlined the risks to shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which a fifth of global oil consumption passes. Despite an interim agreement, commercial vessels have come under attack during the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

On Monday, Trump said that he would either reach an agreement with Iran or finish the job, reiterating his threat of armed force as Tehran projects defiance amid the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned ships through radio over the weekend that “our missiles and drones are ready to fire at you, “according to details reported by the Wall Street Journal.

One of the vessels attacked appeared to be Al Rekayyat, owned and managed by Nakilat. It is also known as Qatar Gas Transport Company which operates one of the world’s largest LNG shipping lines, and saw its ship truck on the port side near the top of the engine room, as reported by Reuters.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints with a major share of Gulf oil and liquefied natural gas exports passing through the narrow waterway.