Cargo ship attacked near Strait of Hormuz as tensions rise


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A cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz reported it was attacked by multiple small boats on Sunday.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Sunday that an unidentified northbound cargo ship reported being attacked by several small craft off Sirik, Iran, east of the strait.

All crew members were reported safe. It was the first such incident in the area since April 22 and at least the 24th reported attack in or near the strategic waterway since the Iran conflict began, the agency said.

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There was no immediate claim of responsibility. However, Iranian officials have repeatedly asserted control over the strait and warned that vessels not affiliated with the United States or Israel could be forced to pay a toll or face repercussions. The UKMTO said the threat level for maritime traffic in the region remains critical.

Back in April, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire without warning on a container ship transiting the strait, heavily damaging its bridge, according to the U.K. Maritime Traffic Organization. A second vessel reported being fired upon west of Iran and was left disabled and adrift, the agency said.

The escalation comes as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a tense standoff, despite a three-week ceasefire that has largely held. President Donald Trump said Saturday that further U.S. military action remains possible.

At the same time, the president said he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal for negotiations but signaled skepticism about its prospects.

“I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable,” Trump wrote on social media, accusing Tehran of decades of wrongdoing.

Speaking to reporters as he boarded Air Force One, Trump declined to specify what actions by Iran would trigger renewed U.S. strikes.

“If they misbehave, if they do something bad,” he said, adding that military action “is a possibility.”

The renewed maritime violence coincides with a growing legal dispute in Washington over presidential war powers. The Trump administration reached the 60‑day limit under the War Powers Act on May 1 after notifying Congress of hostilities with Iran on March 2. The White House has not sought congressional authorization to continue military operations.

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Why this story matters

Ongoing attacks on cargo ships near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a significant share of global oil and goods shipments, reflect documented disruptions to maritime trade that can affect fuel prices and consumer goods availability in the U.S.

Shipping route under attack

The UKMTO has recorded at least 24 attacks in or near the Strait of Hormuz since the Iran conflict began, and rates the current threat level for maritime traffic there as critical.

Toll demands on vessels

Iranian officials have repeatedly asserted that vessels not affiliated with the U.S. or Israel could be forced to pay a toll or face repercussions.

War powers dispute at home

The Trump administration passed the 60-day limit under the War Powers Act on May 1 without seeking congressional authorization to continue military operations against Iran.

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Certified balanced reporting

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100/100

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