Projectile Strike Damages Ship in Strait of Hormuz, Crew Member Hurt
A vessel was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging its engine room and injuring a crew member, as regional tensions persist.
A commercial vessel came under attack early Tuesday while transiting out of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center. The unidentified projectile struck the ship's engine room and resulted in a crew casualty, though it remains unclear whether the crew member was killed or wounded.
The UKMTO, citing a report from the vessel's security office, said the Omani Coast Guard was assisting the crew and that authorities have launched an investigation. No details about the ship's identity or cargo were released. The agency also reported no environmental damage from the incident, despite broader concerns about oil spills from damaged vessels in the Persian Gulf.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which underscores the persistent hazards of transiting the waterway. Iran effectively closed the strait—a passage that carried roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil before the war—after Israeli and U.S. strikes on the country on Feb. 28. The U.S. is also blockading all Iranian shipping through the strait.
Meanwhile, with U.S.-Iran negotiations stalled, Tehran has been holding separate talks with Oman on managing ship transits through the strait. Iran said Monday it was finalizing details for a joint statement on the matter. The development drew a sharp reaction from U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly threatened in a phone interview with a Fox News reporter that the U.S. would bomb Oman if it "gets in the way."
In a separate diplomatic channel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump in a late-Monday call to continue pursuing a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The call came as the 60-day negotiating period for a U.S.-Iran peace deal was expiring, with no word of an extension and both sides appearing far apart.
Erdogan stressed the importance of maximizing diplomacy amid the tensions, according to a statement from his office, and expressed hope that talks would continue. He also raised concerns about intensified Israeli actions targeting Palestinians as efforts move toward the second phase of the Gaza agreement.
Turkey, a NATO member bordering Iran, recently signed a joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan stipulating that an armed attack on any one of the three states would be treated as an attack on all. Trump praised the pact, saying it showed the Middle East coming together for more meaningful self-defense. Erdogan told Trump the deal reflected a strong stance for regional stability and security.