Report: Iranian Missile Attack Damages Two Ships in Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly launched at least two missiles overnight (between Monday and Tuesday) at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to the reports, two ships sustained heavy damage, though no casualties were reported. One of the vessels struck was the Qatari gas tanker Al-Rakaiat, which was reportedly sailing under U.S. Navy escort at the time of the attack.

According to an Axios report citing a U.S. official, the strike targeted commercial vessels traveling along the strategic shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said the tanker caught fire after being hit while sailing about eight nautical miles east of Lima, off Oman's coast.

The incident occurred despite the fragile ceasefire recently reached between the United States and Iran, raising new questions about the future of the ongoing negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent agreement to end the military confrontation between the two countries.

According to current assessments, the latest escalation could undermine diplomatic efforts. The renewed attack from Iran has placed the memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides less than three weeks ago at risk, and U.S. officials are reportedly assessing possible military responses against Iranian targets.