An Iranian commercial vessel was reportedly struck early on Sunday near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one fatality and four injuries, as per Iranian state media. The incident occurred a day ahead of Tehran’s planned briefing for regional countries on its management of shipping traffic in the area.
According to the state-run IRNA news agency, the governor of Qeshm attributed the incident to a “terrorist enemy.” The individual who lost their life was a crew member of the cargo vessel, among a team of 10, and the authorities have not yet identified the projectile involved.
Simultaneously, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor disclosed that a vessel was struck by a projectile while passing through the strait, with limited details available.
The U.S. military has not issued an immediate statement regarding the incident. Previously, the U.S. has targeted Iranian-flagged vessels as part of its blockade of Iranian ports, while facing recent threats from Iranian ballistic missile launches towards its warships.
Qeshm Island, situated around 22 kilometers from Bandar Abbas, plays a crucial role in Iran’s control over strait traffic. The strike on Sunday occurred amidst ongoing tensions in the region, which was considered international waters before the U.S. and Israel initiated military actions on February 28.
Global oil and gas prices have surged following the incident, with Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen applying pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as an alternative shipping passage. Iran has announced a meeting of foreign ministers from regional nations to discuss collaboration with Oman in managing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, although Bahrain has declined attendance, casting uncertainty on other participants.
Iran has emphasized that any agreement with Oman regarding the strait is contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade. As commercial ship traffic remains limited due to ongoing attacks, Iran has proposed implementing transit fees for vessels passing through the strait, with inbound traffic traversing Iranian waters and outbound routes crossing both Iranian and Omani waters.
