A merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz via an Omani-approved route, bypassing Iranian coordination, was hit by a rocket off Oman's coast, according to Abu Ali Express. The attack followed an explicit IRGC radio warning Thursday that ships not coordinating with Tehran would be targeted. At least three other cargo ships reversed course in response.
The IRGC rocket attack on a merchant vessel off Oman, first reported at 19:23 Jerusalem Thursday, has now led at least three additional cargo ships to reverse course — the key new development this evening. The rocket strike, which targeted a ship using an Omani-approved corridor that bypassed Iranian coordination, followed an explicit IRGC radio warning earlier Thursday on Channel 16 that the Strait of Hormuz is closed without Tehran's permission, as The Wall Street Journal described as a direct escalation.
The thread of incidents has deepened over the past hour. The first report, at 19:23, cited a single unverified source. By 19:37, Iranian state media and security channels corroborated the attack, and at 19:43 Abu Ali Express identified the vessel's route as Omani-approved. At 18:06, the British military (UKMTO) confirmed a cargo ship was hit by a projectile off Oman, with the starboard side struck and the bridge damaged; no casualties were reported. Separately, Iran's foreign minister reiterated Tehran's intention to collect tolls from all crossing ships, a demand The Zioneer reported on at 19:37.
The background to tonight's escalation includes an IRGC warning issued at 14:07 Jerusalem Thursday against any uncoordinated shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, after Oman announced a corridor bypassing Iranian control. On June 13, The Zioneer reported the IRGC had launched a missile at a vessel attempting to cross the strait. A US Navy warning to IRGC vessels in Persian on Thursday June 18 — "halt or we attack" — was reported but remained unverified.
As of 20:28 Jerusalem, no official Iranian or Omani government confirmation has been issued, and casualty or damage details for the hit vessel remain unpublished. The Trump administration's response is an open question, with the channel noting the Iranian enforcement contradicts an earlier understanding with Washington.
7 developments
- StrongIRGC warns Oman against bypassing Iran in Strait of Hormuz transit
- DevelopingIRGC-affiliated news agency claims Iranian missile hit US Navy ship off Oman
- DevelopingIRGC says it struck two vessels attempting to illegally cross the Strait of Hormuz
- StrongUKMTO reports vessel strike near Strait of Hormuz; no casualties
Source and signal
- Internal intake