Ship struck in Strait of Hormuz on first day after US-Iran ceasefire MOU expires

A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz at around 5:05 a.m. Tuesday local time, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The ship was transiting outbound through the strait from the Gulf when it was hit. One crew member and the vessel's engine room were damaged in the attack, and the remaining crew were rescued by the Omani Coast Guard.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The strike came as the negotiation deadline under the ceasefire memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran on June 18 — known as the Islamabad MOU — expired.

Under the agreement, the two countries had pledged to halt military operations and guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with 60 days set aside after signing to negotiate the nuclear issue. The deal ultimately became largely ineffective.

Iran resumed attacks on vessels in early July, citing their failure to use Iran-designated routes through the strait. The United States responded with airstrikes on Iran, and military hostilities resumed.

Transit through the Strait of Hormuz had been expected to recover to some degree under the ceasefire MOU, but no progress was ultimately made.

According to shipping data firm Kepler, six raw-material carriers passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, below the 10-day prior average of 11 vessels. Three ships crossed on Saturday and two on Sunday. No very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or LNG tankers transited the strait during that period.

Kepler added that some vessels may have passed through the strait with their tracking devices switched off.

Traffic also declined at the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the entrance to the Red Sea where Iran-aligned Yemeni rebel group the Houthis have declared a blockade. Nineteen raw-material carriers crossed the strait on Monday, below both the 10-day prior average of 26 vessels and the 33 recorded the previous day, Sunday. Of the 19 ships, 14 were outbound from the Red Sea, including one VLCC.