Drone Strikes Third Vessel in Strait of Hormuz Amid US-Iran Tensions
A third attack within 24 hours occurred in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday when an unidentified drone struck an oil tanker, causing property damage but no casualties. The British Maritime Security Agency reported the incident, marking a continuation of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran following earlier missile attacks on commercial ships in the area. Earlier that day, two missiles hit commercial vessels, including the Qatari gas tanker Al-Rakaiyat, which caught fire eight nautical miles east of Oman's coast. The tanker’s crew was fully evacuated amid fears of an explosion.
Iranian officials stated that Tehran remains committed to diplomacy from a position of strength but warned of decisive responses to any aggression or crossing of red lines. Iranian state media claimed the Al-Rakaiyat ignored repeated warnings to alter its course before being fired upon. A U.S. official attributed the missile launches to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The maritime incidents unfold amid a severe diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and Iran. President Donald Trump declared the U.S. Navy has imposed the largest blockade ever on Iran and threatened to cripple its energy supply and destroy its facilities. He also demanded Iran hand over all enriched uranium stocks. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected these demands, emphasizing on Twitter that the Iranian people and armed forces are undeterred by threats and cited a memorandum clause stating final deal negotiations will not proceed amid ongoing threats. Iran’s National Security Council Secretary Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr warned the U.S. to engage respectfully with the Iranian people or face consequences.
The military friction in the Strait of Hormuz also follows revelations that Iran and Oman are advancing a joint plan to charge fees on ships passing through the waterway. This proposal, recently communicated to Washington and other Western countries, has been strongly opposed by the U.S., which views it as a violation of international navigation freedom.
