The United States confirmed that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired a missile at a commercial cargo ship attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said. The IRGC earlier announced it struck the vessel and declared the waterway closed until further notice. The ship was hit and suffered damages; no casualties have been reported.
The United States confirmed early Sunday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired a missile at a commercial cargo ship attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told The Zioneer. The confirmation follows a sequence of IRGC actions and statements reported by the desk on Saturday, including the IRGC's announcement of a temporary closure of the waterway and its claim of having fired warning shots that led to the seizure of a vessel.
By 13:41 Jerusalem on Saturday, the desk had published a series of developments: the IRGC Navy announced a temporary closure of the strait, warning that it would remain shut until the U.S. ceased regional interference; the IRGC issued a full statement describing warning fire on a vessel that ignored directives; it declared the strait closed to all passage; and it later dropped the "until further notice" qualifier. The IRGC also threatened to expand attacks on U.S. bases if retaliated against. A U.S. official was cited confirming that a vessel was attacked and damaged in the strait, and the IRGC Navy subsequently threatened to strike enemy bases. The latest thread item reported that the IRGC missile struck a cargo ship, according to U.S. officials.
As The Zioneer has reported over the past month, the IRGC has escalated its actions in the Strait of Hormuz: a missile launch at a vessel on June 12, a declaration of closure on June 21 citing Israeli operations in Lebanon, warning shots at several ships on June 28, and the bombing of a vessel on July 7. The U.S. Navy issued a warning to IRGC vessels on June 18, threatening to engage if they did not abort their mission. The strait is a chokepoint for roughly 20% of global oil supply.
The identity and nationality of the damaged vessel, the extent of the damage, and any casualties remain unknown. No official response from the U.S. Navy or international shipping authorities has been reported, and the IRGC's closure declaration has not been independently verified as enforced.
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