The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy attacked a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz with a cruise missile on Tuesday, after the ship refused to comply with IRGC orders, according to Iranian reports. The vessel was hit, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Iran confirmed the attack, stating it was enforcing its maritime directives.
The IRGC Navy's strike on a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday marks the latest escalation in Iran's campaign to assert control over the strategic chokepoint. According to Iranian reports, the ship was hit by a cruise missile after it refused to comply with IRGC orders. The attack was confirmed by Iranian state-affiliated sources, who said the vessel was struck while attempting to transit the southern route near Oman. No details on the ship's identity, nationality, or extent of damage have been released, and there are no reports of casualties.
The incident comes amid a series of Iranian strikes on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months. As The Zioneer has reported, the IRGC has targeted multiple vessels since June, using missiles, drones, and naval mines, as part of a declared policy of enforcing a maritime blockade and demanding tolls from passing ships. The United States has conducted airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure in response to earlier attacks, but the IRGC has continued its operations.
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