Three Container Ships Targeted by Gunfire in Strait of Hormuz

At least three container ships came under gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, marking a significant escalation in maritime hostilities in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a fresh security incident involving an outbound cargo vessel being fired upon in waters off the Iranian coast.

The attack occurred approximately eight nautical miles west of Iran, according to a warning issued by the UKMTO Operations Centre in a post on X.

The UKMTO said the master of the vessel reported being approached by a gunboat of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The report, sourced from a Company Security Officer, stated that the vessel was fired upon and subsequently stopped in the water. All crew members were safe and there was no fire or environmental impact.

How did the Strait of Hormuz gunfire incident damage the Greek-operated container ship?

Maritime security sources told Reuters that three people were onboard the gunboat.

The UKMTO further noted that the Iranian vessel "then fired upon the vessel" and "caused heavy damage to the bridge" during the targeted strike.

The master of the Greek-operated container ship also reported that no radio contact was made prior to the incident, despite the vessel having been informed it had permission to transit the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate incident, a Liberia-flagged container ship sustained damage to its bridge after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades northeast of Oman.

This followed an earlier UKMTO report of an incident involving a container ship located 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman amid heightened activity in the region.

The UKMTO later confirmed that a second container vessel had been fired upon about eight nautical miles west of Iran. The Panama-flagged ship was not damaged and its crew members are safe.

Authorities have warned of high levels of activity in the Strait of Hormuz and urged vessels transiting the region to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements immediately.

The incidents come amid rising tensions in the region. Iran has imposed restrictions on ships using the strait, first in retaliation for the US-Israeli bombardment of the country and then in response to a US blockade of Iranian ports.

(With inputs from ANI)