Three vessels struck in Strait of Hormuz as Iran vows to launch its ‘most intense’ assault so far
Three vessels struck in Strait of Hormuz as Iran vows to launch its ‘most intense’ assault so far
At least three vessels were attacked along the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as Iran vowed to launch its “most intense” assault of the war so far.
Three separate attacks were recorded along the key trade route, with one ship, the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, reporting a fire in its main engine room that forced the crew to evacuate, according to the Oman News Agency.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attack on the cargo ship, claiming the ship “ignored the warnings” from Iran to stay away from the Strait of Hormuz.
“Any vessel that intends to pass must obtain permission from #Iran,” the IRGC said in a social media post. “American aggressors and their partners have no right of passage.”
Iran’s attacks triggered a warning from US Central Command, warning civilians to steer clear of ports along the Strait of Hormuz as Tehran’s military actions leave the area as “legitimate military targets under international law.”
“CENTCOM urges civilians in Iran to immediately avoid all port facilities where Iranian naval forces are operating. Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment,” the warning read.
“Although the U.S. military also cannot guarantee civilian safety in or near facilities used by the Iranian regime for military purposes, American forces will continue taking every feasible precaution to minimize harm to civilians,” CENTCOM added.
Oman’s navy was deployed to rescue 20 of the ship’s 23 crew members following the attack, with sailors still working to save the remaining three, according to the Thai foreign ministry.
Iran did not explicitly claim responsibility for the attacks on the other two ships recorded by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British monitoring group.
One was identified as the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty, which was hit by a projectile 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.
The third ship, identified as the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, was struck on its hull while traveling 50 miles north of Dubai, according to the maritime risk management company Vanguard.
While the other two ships sustained damage, their crew members were all safe and accounted for, according to the maritime agencies.
The attacks would represent a notable uptick from the regular assault on ships traveling near Iran since the war began, the UKMTO noted, with the agency recording 13 attacks since Feb. 28.
The attacks on the ship come after Iran began ramping up its attacks on Israel, the Persian Gulf, and Dubai on Wednesday, with a volley of ballistic missiles and drones fired across the region, according to state media reports.
At least two drones hit near Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, leaving four people wounded, the Dubai Media Office said.
The strikes were part of the “most intense operation since the beginning of the war,” Iran state media reported.
It came after the US made a similar remark about its attacks on Tuesday, which officials said sunk 16 minelaying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz.
