Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired missiles at two merchant vessels near the Strait of Hormuz early Sunday. The attack came just over a week after the United States and Iran agreed to halt strikes following clashes triggered by differing interpretations of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end their conflict.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported the IRGC's attack on the merchant ships, citing a senior U.S. official. One of the vessels struck is believed to be the LNG carrier "Al Rekayyat," owned and operated by Qatari liquefied natural gas shipping company Nakilat. The ship was hit by a missile on the upper port side of its engine room, causing a fire and smoke, but all crew members were reported safe. The other vessel also sustained considerable damage, though no casualties were reported.
Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced it had received a report that a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile and caught fire in waters about 8 nautical miles (14.8 km) east of Lima, Oman.
The attack occurred during the funeral for the late former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. It demonstrates that the IRGC wields strong influence separate from moderates within Iran. According to a recording obtained by the WSJ, the IRGC had continuously warned merchant ships over radio since last weekend that "missiles and drones are ready for launch."
Iran has remained silent over who was responsible for the attack. However, the Iranian semi-official Fars News Agency reported, citing a source, that the Al Rekayyat had attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via Omani waters with support from the U.S. Navy. It added that the IRGC had warned the ship several times, and the attack occurred after those warnings were repeatedly ignored.
With the United States and Iran conducting detailed negotiations following the MOU, the attack is likely to serve as a setback. As daily traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has recently recovered to a level of 30 to 60 vessels, the resumption of attacks could also negatively affect tanker passage.
