A total of three container ships were attacked on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Iranian media and maritime sources. Most recently, a ship operated by MSC was targeted.
Today’s third attack struck the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, which sustained damage to its hull and accommodation areas. The ship was located around six nautical miles off the Iranian coast, heading south towards the Gulf of Oman, according to the analysis firm Vanguard, as reported by the BBC.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the first attack of the day struck the Greek-owned container ship Epaminondas, which was fired upon by an Iranian “gunboat” around 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The attack caused extensive damage to the ship’s bridge.
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The US has boarded yet another ship
Another vessel, the Panama-flagged Euphoria, owned by a company in the United Arab Emirates, was attacked approximately eight nautical miles west of Iran. The crew are reported to be safe, and no damage to the vessel has been reported.
According to the BBC, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) states that both the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas have been detained and directed towards Iranian waters. According to the IRGC, the intervention was due to the ships allegedly operating without the necessary permits and tampering with their navigation systems.
These events highlight the ongoing security tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for global trade and energy transport. Late last night Danish time, President Donald Trump announced that the ceasefire between the US and Iran, which was due to expire, would be extended until Tehran can present “a comprehensive proposal” to move the peace negotiations forward. However, the blockade of Iranian ports continues, and the Strait of Hormuz therefore remains closed.
