War in the Middle East: Container ship targeted by Iranian fire off Oman despite…

A container ship was targeted by Iranian gunfire off the coast of Oman on Wednesday, April 22, causing damage but no casualties.

The British maritime agency (UKMTO) reported an “incident” involving a ship near Oman and the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, April 22. UKMTO stated that they received a report of an incident that occurred on board a container ship 28 kilometers northeast of Oman.

“The captain reported that the ship was approached by an IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) patrol boat,” the maritime agency wrote. The patrol boat then “opened fire on the ship, causing significant damage.” However, the attack did not result in any casualties or fires, according to UKMTO.

According to intelligence firm Vanguard Tech, the ship flying the Liberian flag “had been informed that it had permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.” Tasnim, the news agency of the Revolutionary Guards, stated that “Iran enforces maritime law on a container ship that ignored its repeated warnings.”

A second ship targeted

UKMTO later reported a second incident, involving a cargo ship leaving the Strait of Hormuz. The ship, located 8 nautical miles west of Iran, “reported being fired upon and is currently immobilized at sea,” they reported, adding that the crew was “safe and sound” and no damage had been reported.

The ship was identified by Vanguard Tech as the container ship Euphoria, flying the Panamanian flag. According to Marinetraffic, it was heading to the Saudi port of Jeddah from Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates.

The strategic waterway of the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by Iran in response to Israeli-American aggression, while the United States enforces a blockade of Iranian ports. US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday an extension of the truce between the two countries that has been in effect since April 8.