Vessel struck near Strait of Hormuz: maritime agency

A British maritime agency reported on Monday that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the latest update from the agency. The incident occurred off the coast of Lima, Oman, at the mouth of the strategically important waterway. The master of the vessel stated that the projectile caused a hole on the starboard side of the ship.

However, the UKMTO confirmed that both the vessel and its crew were unharmed, and there were no environmental impacts reported. The Strait of Hormuz typically handles around 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, a figure that has been significantly impacted since the Middle East war erupted with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

Iran has since imposed a chokehold on the shipping route, regularly targeting ships without its authorization. In response, Washington has maintained a blockade on Iranian ports, while negotiations between the two nations remain deadlocked. Recent attacks on vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz have increased, as Washington escorts more ships through the waterway and Tehran seeks to maintain control over their passage.