US President Donald Trump said Iran carried out a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a foolish ceasefire violation. He said one drone damaged the ship’s upper deck and US forces shot down three others. The incident comes amid fragile US-Iran negotiations and maritime security efforts.
International
-Sathish Raman
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran was behind a drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump called the strike a foolish breach of the ceasefire with the United States. Donald Trump said one drone damaged the ship’s upper deck, but the vessel kept moving. Donald Trump also said the US downed three other drones.
US President Donald Trump said Iran carried out a drone strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a foolish ceasefire violation. He said one drone damaged the ship’s upper deck and US forces shot down three others. The incident comes amid fragile US-Iran negotiations and maritime security efforts.
Donald Trump did not name the ship or give the strike time in the post. On Thursday, the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off Oman’s coast. The incident came as the United States and Iran sought a lasting end to the war. Iran has also tested control of the Strait of Hormuz under an interim deal.
Strait of Hormuz shipping operation halted after drone strike
The attack happened as a United Nations maritime agency began moving stranded ships out this week. The plan used an alternate path near Oman’s shoreline. It avoided the central channel of the strait. After the strike, the International Maritime Organisation paused the operation. The agency said on Friday it would wait for guarantees of safety.
Arsenio Dominguez, the agency’s secretary-general, said about 115 ships left in recent days. Arsenio Dominguez said around 500 vessels still remained in the area. The alternate route was expected to ease pressure on the world economy. It also aimed to reduce Iran’s leverage in peace talks with the US.
Strait of Hormuz shipping faces new test, analysts say
Shipping analysts said the drone strike raised doubts after improving traffic levels. They said more trapped vessels had started leaving the Gulf. They also noted a higher flow of crude oil tankers. “A week of widening commercial confidence in the Strait of Hormuz has hit its first significant test,\” said marine data company Windward on X.
Windward said the strait stayed open for operations after the incident. It recorded 43 transits after the attack. Windward added that the return to normal had slowed. On Wednesday, before Thursday’s drone strike, 78 vessels crossed the strait. That was the highest since the war began, but below 130 daily prewar levels.
Marine data and analytic firm Lloyds List Intelligence reported extra disruption on the UN-backed route. It said at least two tankers turned back while trying to cross near Oman. The firm said the reversals followed Iran’s insistence on using only Teheran-approved routes. The incident added uncertainty for ships seeking safe passage.
Strait of Hormuz tensions hit diplomacy and regional alerts
The strike came as the US and Iran continued talks on a wider deal. Negotiators were still discussing passage for ships in the key strait. They were also addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim deal, the two sides had 60 days to settle the details. The ceasefire remained fragile.
Separately on Friday, a missile warning in the United Arab Emirates was linked to a technical glitch. The alert shocked many in Dubai. It was the first such phone warning since the interim ceasefire. The tension also followed the cargo vessel attack and Israeli strikes in Lebanon over recent days.
After the alert, Emirati officials reported a call between key ministers. The call involved Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. It quoted Sheikh Abdullah as telling Araghchi that the UAE stressed full commitment to the interim deal. \”Serious diplomacy and responsible dialogue are the optimal path for addressing all regional and international crises,\” it said.
The drone strike and the later pause in ship movements added fresh strain to the Strait of Hormuz. Officials were still weighing how to protect stranded vessels and restore planned evacuations. Analysts tracked lower traffic growth after the incident. Meanwhile, the US and Iran kept negotiating within the 60-day interim window, as regional tensions stayed high.
With inputs from PTI
