At least three container ships were attacked by gunfire this Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British agency UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and maritime security sources.
Read more Mbappé and Vinícius do not falter in a season finale that will be ‘very long’
The most serious incident affected a Liberian-flagged ship, which suffered damage to its bridge after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades northeast of Oman. The captain reported that a boat from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approached without radio warning before opening fire. No injuries or environmental damage were reported.
The UKMTO also reported two other incidents about eight nautical miles west of Iran. A Panamanian-flagged vessel and another Liberian one were attacked, although they suffered no damage and their crews are safe. According to maritime sources, one of the ships had received authorization to transit the strait.
The attacks occur in a context of restrictions imposed by Iran on maritime traffic, in response to the US naval blockade on its ports. Before the start of the war on February 28, the strait channeled about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply.
US President Donald Trump announced on the same Wednesday an indefinite extension of the ceasefire to facilitate new negotiations with Iran, whose two-week deadline expired this Wednesday.
Read more Israel and the politics of gestures
The extension comes at a critical moment for the talks promoted by Pakistan in Islamabad, which seek to end a conflict that has left thousands dead and shaken the global economy. However, the diplomatic process is facing serious difficulties.
A first round of contacts concluded without agreement, focused mainly on the Iranian nuclear program. The United States demands the withdrawal of highly enriched uranium to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, while Iran insists that its program has civilian purposes and constitutes a sovereign right.
According to Iranian sources, Tehran would only be willing to return to the table if Washington abandons its policy of pressure and threats. In parallel, it denounces the interception of Iranian commercial vessels by the US navy as “piracy”.
