Container ship damaged in reported attack by Iranian gunboat near Strait of Hormuz

A container ship was damaged after it was approached and fired on by an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboat northeast of Oman, according to a warning issued by British maritime officials.

The warning was issued by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, which said the report was received at 0355 UTC, or 11:55 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. The incident happened about 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman, near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to UKMTO, the master of the container ship said the vessel was approached by a gunboat from the IRGC, the powerful military force that controls much of Iran’s naval activity in the Gulf. The ship’s master said no radio warning was received before the gunboat opened fire.

UKMTO said the gunfire caused heavy damage to the bridge, the section of the ship from which it is navigated and commanded.

The ship’s master reported no fire and no environmental damage. All crew members were reported safe.

The reported attack comes as shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains under pressure after an apparent collapse in talks, while both the United States and Iran have blocked the waterway.

President Trump referred to the shipping crisis in a social media post late Tuesday, saying Iran wanted the strait reopened immediately because it was “starving for cash.”