World Middle East Business

Hormuz shipping under fire

Hormuz shipping under fire

The strategic Strait of Hormuz has become a flashpoint for military confrontation as Iranian paramilitary forces targeted several Liberia-flagged and Greek-owned vessels.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that the ships were fired upon without warning, with some sustaining damage to their bridges from rocket-propelled grenades.

These maritime incidents occur as the United States continues its naval blockade of Iranian ports, a move Tehran has labeled as 'piracy'.

The International Maritime Organization warns that nearly 20,000 seafarers are currently trapped in the region as shipping lanes remain effectively closed to commercial traffic.

Strait of Hormuz
Strait between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Military organization to protect the political system of the Islamic Republic in Iran, designated as a terror organization by multiple countries
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations
UK-based martime security monitoring
International Maritime Organization
Specialized UN agency concerned with legal and regulatory aspects of maritime activity
Oman
Sovereign state in western Asia