Iran’s missile attack on Hormuz

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been accused of launching missile attacks on two commercial ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The US media outlet Axios reported this information, citing two US officials.
According to the report, both ships were significantly damaged in the attack, but no casualties were reported. Meanwhile, the UK’s maritime security agency UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) said that an oil tanker was hit by an unidentified missile or projectile early Tuesday (July 7) off the coast of Lima, Oman.
The agency said the southbound ship was about 8 nautical miles (about 15 kilometers) east of Lima when it was hit on its port side. Although a fire broke out, no casualties or environmental damage were reported. Reuters could not independently confirm whether the ship mentioned in the Axios report and the tanker mentioned in the UKMTO report were the same. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) did not immediately comment on the matter.
‘Missiles and drones ready’—IRGC warning
A report in the Wall Street Journal said that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships in a maritime radio message over the weekend, saying, “Our missiles and drones are ready to attack you.” According to the report, one of the ships hit was the ‘Al Rekayat’, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier operated by Qatar’s Nakilat (Qatar Gas Transport Company).
The ship’s upper engine room was hit and caught fire. Citing a radio message, the Wall Street Journal said that the engine room was on fire and filled with smoke. The full extent of the damage has not yet been determined. However, all sailors are safe. The ship was in the Gulf of Oman at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz at the time of the attack.
There was no immediate comment from Naqilat, Qatar Energy or Qatar’s international media office on the incident. According to analysts, the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the progress of US-Iran talks have now become extremely important for global markets and energy sector investors.