Iran has reportedly resumed attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, reigniting tensions and raising questions about the viability of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire. U.S. officials confirmed that three commercial vessels were struck between Monday and Tuesday in one of the world's busiest maritime choke points.
The attacks targeted shipping transiting the strait, which accounts for roughly one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil. British maritime authorities confirmed a vessel was struck by a projectile near the coast of Oman on Monday, with Iranian state media reporting the ship had ignored warnings. The attack reportedly caused a fire onboard, but there were no immediate reports of fatalities. On Tuesday, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations reported another tanker sustained structural damage from an unidentified projectile, though no casualties or environmental impact were reported.
Two vessels were hit on Monday: the Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier Al Rekayyat and the Saudi-flagged crude tanker Wedyan. Iran acknowledged the attack on the Al Rekayyat, stating it had ignored warnings and proceeded with U.S. assistance. The cause of damage to the Wedyan was not immediately clear.
The renewed hostilities come days after President Donald Trump stated the U.S. had given Tehran "a week off" for funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The White House had paused negotiations during the mourning period with the expectation of resuming talks afterward. The attacks cast doubt on the administration's diplomatic strategy and the fragile ceasefire established under a memorandum of understanding signed in June. This agreement launched a 60-day negotiating period aimed at a broader peace deal and called for the reopening of the strait during negotiations.
Previously, Iran had warned that commercial tankers using routes not approved by Iranian authorities would face a "forceful response." On June 25, an attack on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely prompted U.S. retaliatory strikes. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had begun to recover following the earlier ceasefire, though it remained below historical levels.