Tehran fires at commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz as US-Iran deal comes under threat
Keep tracking West Asia, because it's shaping this year's international GK. US officials say Iran's military fired missiles at commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz just after a one week US-Iran understanding on halting attacks expired, putting their 14 point de-escalation agreement at risk. One tanker caught fire near Oman's coast and another vessel was damaged, though nobody was hurt. What this really means is, the fragile truce after the February strikes on Iran is unravelling at the world's most important oil chokepoint. So for your CLAT prep, just remember the 14 point US-Iran memorandum, the Strait of Hormuz attacks, and the oil price risk for India.
Iran’s military fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting theStrait of Hormuzon Monday night, according to two US officials cited by Axios. The reported attack came after a one-week agreement between the US and Iran on halting strikes in the strait had expired, putting a fragile memorandum of understanding at risk of collapse.
A tanker traveling near Oman’s coast was hit by an unknown projectile and caught fire, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. A separate commercial vessel was also struck by an Iranian missile, a US official told Axios. Bothships suffered damage, though no casualties were reported in either incident. The renewed attacks come just weeks afterWashington and Tehran signed a 14-point agreementmeant to de-escalate tensions in the region.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while traveling south about 8 nautical miles east of Oman’s Limah, causing a fire, Reuters reported. UKMTO said no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.
A US official told Axios that a separate commercial ship was hit by anIranian missile.Both vessels suffered damage, but there were no casualties, the official said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships in the strait.
The attack came after a one-week agreement between the US and Iran on halting strikes in the strait had expired. The resumption ofIranian attacksputs thememorandum of understandingsigned less than three weeks ago at risk of unraveling.
A US official told Axios that the US is likely to respond with strikes against Iranian targets.
Axios reported that a round of indirect talks between the US and Iran in Doha last week ended without progress on theStrait of Hormuzissue.
CNN reported that Iran has used the strait as leverage sinceUS and Israeli strikes on Tehrantriggered retaliatory Iranian strikes and wider regional conflict. Tehran and Washington exchanged strikes even after signing the14-point agreement in June, according to CNN. Iran has also said crew members must obtain permission to pass through routes approved by its officials.
On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said its navy had deployed patrol boats to block the “Omani route,” according to Iranian state media and a Telegram channel affiliated with the IRGC.
Citing tracking data from MarineTraffic, CNN reported that nearly a third of vessels that crossed the strait between Friday and Sunday used a route along the coast of Oman. MarineTraffic said 108 boats crossed the strait during that period, of which 30 including crude and LPG tankers took the Omani route.
Traffic through the strait, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied gas supplies, was highest on Friday with 43 crossings, followed by 34 on Saturday and 31 on Sunday, according to MarineTraffic data cited by CNN. MarineTraffic described the activity as “operational but fragmented,” noting it should be read alongside the ongoing security and diplomatic situation.
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