No Passing Allowed in Hormuz: IRG Hits Container Ship near Oman

By Staff, Agencies 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations [UKMTO] said it has “received a report of an incident” on Wednesday involving a commercial vessel 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman, in the Arabian Sea.

According to the report, the master of a container ship stated that the vessel was approached by an Islamic Revolution Guards gunboat, which then opened fire after no VHF challenge was issued. The incident caused “heavy damage to the bridge,” UKMTO said.

The agency added that no fires or environmental damage were reported following the strike. All crew members on board were confirmed to be safe.

UKMTO, which monitors maritime security incidents in key shipping lanes, did not provide further details on the identity of the vessel or the circumstances surrounding the encounter.

The incident comes amid heightened maritime tensions in regional waters, where commercial shipping routes remain closely monitored due to ongoing security risks.

The Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of Iran’s armed forces have accused the US of violating a ceasefire agreement and carrying out maritime piracy after an incident involving an Iranian commercial vessel in the Gulf.

In a statement, the headquarters confirmed that US forces opened fire on the Iranian ship while it was navigating in international waters of the Gulf of Oman, escalating maritime tensions amid already heightened regional volatility.

The Iranian military command further stated that US forces disabled the vessel’s navigation systems before conducting a boarding operation on the ship’s deck.

It slammed the incident as a deliberate escalation and a breach of maritime norms, warning that such actions threaten regional shipping routes and international security.

The statement stressed that the Iranian Armed Forces will respond “soon" to the piracy carried out by US forces, signaling potential escalation in maritime confrontations.