Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked a Singapore-flagged merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, a US official confirmed to CBS News, challenging President Trump’s efforts to reopen the vital shipping corridor.
The ship’s bridge was damaged after it was struck on its side by an “unidentified projectile” off the coast of Dahit, Oman, according to an advisory from the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre. The advisor said no injuries or environmental impact were reported.
After the strike, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization temporarily suspended a days-old plan to remove several ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, citing Thursday’s strike. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the suspension is necessary “to reconfirm that the necessary safety guarantees continue to exist.”
The international body said the ship passed through the Strait of Hormuz before it was hit, and “did not go under the IMO’s exit framework.”
“I have always emphasized that the safety of seafarers remains a priority,” Dominguez said in a statement. “Therefore, in order to ensure the orderly approach and safety of the ship, the evacuation plan will be suspended until further clarification is provided.”
The US and Iran have signed ia memorandum of understanding last week that raised hopes of a return to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that used to carry a fifth of the world’s oil but had been largely closed to shipping during the months of the war. Under the deal, Iran is expected to organize a free safe zone “using its best efforts” for 60 days.
Since then, shipping has increased significantly, with 70 ships sailing on Tuesday, compared to six last week, according to data from analytics firm Kpler, which noted that some of the uptick could be attributed to “the release of delayed traffic.” With shipping going well, oil prices around the world have fallen.
The IMO also announced on Tuesday that it was launching a “massive” effort to help thousands of sailors stranded on hundreds of ships leave the region. It said two routes are available: One is through Iranian waters in the northern part of the Strait of Hormuz, and the other is through Omani waters in the south.
But disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz continued. The route favored by the US involves sailing close to the Omani coast, while Iran has insisted that ships seek its permission before passing through the strait and use a route close to its coast.
Iran’s Persian Strait Gulf Authority said on Thursday: “Any passage on routes outside the framework designated by the PGSA will not be covered by guarantees of safe passage and will not be entitled to insurance or related liabilities.”
Iran has also not ruled out whether it wants to be paid for the passage of vessels after the expiry of the 60-day deadline of the memorandum of understanding. The Trump administration and America’s allies in the region have called that idea unacceptable and a violation of international law. Oman has done it said plans to jointly manage the strait with Iran but is not looking to impose tolls.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters earlier Thursday that the Trump administration expects the country to remain open, and plans to judge Iran based on its actions and not its “high rhetoric.”
“If the ships are going the way they should go, that’s what we’re going to judge, and that’s what we’re going to react to,” he said during a visit to Bahrain. “If, on the other hand, this talk is supported by actual ships being threatened and the ships are not moving, that is a violation of the agreement, and we will have a problem with it.”
