1 Sailor Killed, 4 Others Missing After U.S. Strike On Iranian Cargo Vessel Near Strait Of Hormuz

One sailor was killed and four others remain missing after a reported US strike on an Iranian cargo vessel near the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.

Mohammad Radmehr, governor of Minab county in southern Iran, said rescue teams recovered the body of one of the missing sailors following the overnight incident.

Radmehr said local rescue groups and emergency teams were continuing search operations to locate the remaining missing crew members.

According to Iranian officials, the civilian cargo vessel belonged to residents of the Kolahi district in Minab and was operating near the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman when it was reportedly struck during US actions in the area.

The vessel later caught fire in waters off Minab county, the official added.

Iranian authorities said 15 sailors were onboard the cargo boat at the time of the incident. Ten injured crew members were transferred to hospital for treatment.

Mehr quoted Radmehr as describing the incident as “US aggression against a civilian cargo boat”.

The strike was reported as tensions increased in and around the Strait of Hormuz after overnight exchanges between Iranian and US forces.

The United States had earlier announced a blockade of Iranian ports after peace talks in Pakistan failed to make progress last month.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes, linking the Gulf with international sea lanes through the Gulf of Oman.

Any escalation in the area is closely monitored by the maritime industry due to its importance for regional trade and energy shipments.

Iran is currently considering a US proposal to extend the existing Gulf truce to allow further negotiations aimed at reaching a final settlement to the conflict.

References: Trtworld, AA