Tension has once again increased in the Strait of Hormuz. According to American officials, on Monday night the Iranian army fired missiles at two commercial ships passing through this route. This attack has happened at a time when the one-week agreement between America and Iran to stop attacks in Hormuz has ended. American officials say that due to this attack, the 14-point MoU signed between America and Iran about three weeks ago is also in danger. It is believed that now America can retaliate against Iranian targets.
Britain’s UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report on Monday that an oil tanker heading south near the coast of Oman was attacked by an unidentified missile or projectile. Due to this the ship caught fire. An American official said that another merchant ship was also targeted by an Iranian missile. Both ships suffered a lot of damage, but the good thing is that there is no news of death or injury to any crew member.
Qatari ship attacked: report
Earlier last week, indirect talks were held between America and Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz in Qatar’s capital Doha. However, this conversation ended without any major result. Meanwhile, a report in The Wall Street Journal has claimed that Qatar’s LNG tanker Al Reqaiyat may also be included among the ships that fell victim to the attack. This ship belongs to Nakilat Company, which is Qatar’s LNG shipping company.
Pre-attack warning audio
An audio recording is also mentioned in the report. In this, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is reportedly heard warning the ships. In which they are saying that their missiles and drones are ready to attack. According to the radio message, the missile hit the upper left side of the engine room of the Al Reqaiyat ship, causing smoke and fire. However, all the crew members present on the ship are safe.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. A large part of the world’s oil and gas passes through this route. In such a situation, due to the resumption of attacks here, concerns about global oil supply, energy market and the security of West Asia have increased.
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