CAIRO, SEP 13 (AP): An Iranian commercial vessel was struck early Sunday off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, with one person killed and four wounded, Iranian state media said, a day before Tehran seeks to brief regional countries on its contested efforts to manage shipping traffic there.
State-run IRNA news agency quoted the Qeshm governor as blaming a “terrorist enemy.” He also said the person killed was among the cargo vessel’s 10-member crew, and that authorities had not yet identified the projectile.
Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor reported a vessel was hit by a projectile while transiting the strait, later adding that a fire had broken out and local authorities were evacuating those on board.
There was no immediate comment by the US military, which previously has struck Iranian-flagged vessels as it keeps up a blockade of Iranian ports — while facing a new threat in recent days from Iranian ballistic missiles launched at its warships. Qeshm Island, located about 22 kilometres from the port city of Bandar Abbas, is key to Iran asserting control over traffic through the strait. Hours before the attack, Iran’s government remained defiant. “Our people can’t be bullied into submission. Iran won’t surrender,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a US-aimed social media post.
Monday’s meeting aims to brief regional countries on the strait
Regional attention is returning to the Strait of Hormuz as Iran announced a meeting of foreign ministers from nearby countries on Monday to discuss shipping management. The strait, one of the world’s most vital energy routes, has seen reduced traffic due to repeated attacks since the US and Israel launched the war on February 28.
The meeting follows renewed pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated attacks. Although the Houthis claim they are targeting only Saudi Arabia, global markets remain unsettled, with oil and natural gas prices rising further. The United States insists exports continue despite risks, guiding vessels along Oman’s coast, but commercial traffic remains low. Iran, alongside Oman, seeks to manage shipping, though Bahrain has already refused to attend due to lack of diplomatic ties with Tehran. Other nations’ participation remains unclear.
