Iran Accuses US, Israel of Deadly Strait of Hormuz Ship Attack

Iranian authorities reported that a commercial container ship was attacked early Sunday, September 13, in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, between Hengam Island and the Shib-Deraz coast of Qeshm Island. The strike resulted in the death of one crew member and injuries to four others. Hossein Amir-Teymouri, head of the Qeshm district administration, told Tasnim news agency that the vessel was hit by a "shell from the American-Zionist enemy." He stated the attack occurred around 5:00 AM local time. According to Associated Press, the vessel is an Iranian commercial ship with a crew of ten. The container ship's name and registration details have not yet been released.

However, IRNA presented a more cautious version of the governor's statement, describing the incident as a "terrorist attack" but noting that the origin of the projectile that hit the ship had not yet been determined at the time of reporting. This means there is currently no independent confirmation of the claim that the munition was of American or Israeli origin. The incident appears to be the same one previously reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which received a report of a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz being struck by an unknown projectile. The initial UKMTO report did not provide details on the extent of the damage, the crew's condition, or the suspected source of the attack.

As of the publication time, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had not issued a statement regarding the incident. The U.S. has been enforcing a maritime blockade of Iranian ports in recent months and has previously attacked Iranian vessels attempting to breach it. Concurrently, Iran has targeted American warships and threatened commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz area.