According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a ship was hit by a projectile early Tuesday as it was sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the attack highlights the ongoing danger of attempting to transit the waterway as Iran continues to throttle shipping traffic, even as it finalizes negotiations with Oman on a plan to manage the critical passage.
According to UKMTO, an unidentified projectile damaged the engine room of a ship and "resulted in a crew casualty" early Tuesday morning as the vessel was trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman. The agency did not release any details about the ship or its cargo, and it was not clear whether the crew member was killed or wounded. The Omani Coast Guard was assisting other crew members, and authorities were investigating.
There has been growing concern about oil spilling into the Persian Gulf and other area waters from vessels damaged as they have attempted to transit the strait, but UKMTO said no environmental damage had been reported in the latest attack.
Iran effectively closed the strait — through which roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil supplies passed before the war — after Israel and the U.S. attacked the country on Feb. 28. The U.S. also is currently blockading all Iranian shipping traffic through the strait.
With negotiations between the U.S. and Iran stalled, Iran has been holding separate talks with Oman on a plan to manage ships transiting the strait, and said Monday it was in the process of finalizing details for a joint statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted angrily, reportedly threatening to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst in a telephone interview that the U.S. would bomb Oman if it "gets in the way."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a telephone call to continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran. The call came late Monday as the 60-day negotiating period to find a peace deal between the United States and Iran was expiring, with no word of an extension and both sides seemingly as far apart as they were at the start.
"President Erdogan said it is important to make maximum use of diplomacy amid tensions between Iran and the United States, expressed our hope that talks will continue, and noted that Turkey will keep supporting efforts toward peace," according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office.
Erdogan also expressed concerns over intensified Israeli actions targeting Palestinians at a time when efforts are underway to move to the second phase of the Gaza agreement, the statement said.
Turkey, a NATO member that borders Iran, earlier this month signed a joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which stipulates "that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all."
Trump praised the agreement, saying in a social media post that "it shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way."
During their conversation, Erdogan told Trump the deal reflected "a strong stance to ensure regional stability and security."