Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a container ship on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging the vessel and further raising the stakes as planned cease-fire talks in Pakistan failed to materialize.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) said the attack happened around 7:55 am in the strait and targeted a container ship.
An IRGC gunboat approached a container ship off the coast near Oman. The agency said the vessel was not issued any radio warning before being fired upon, resulting in heavy damage to the ship’s bridge. No injuries were reported, and the crew remained safe. No fire or environmental damage was detected.
This incident comes after the US seized an Iranian container ship after shooting it in the past weekend and boarded an oil tanker associated with Iran’s oil trade in the Indian Ocean.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said in a statement, “UKMTO has received a report of an incident 15NM northeast of OMAN. The Master of a Container Ship reported that the vessel was approached by 1 IRGC gun boat, no VHF challenge that then fired upon the vessel, which has caused heavy damage to the bridge.
However, no fire or environmental damage has been recorded, and the crew is currently safe, UKMTO added.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, has seen heightened military activity in recent days after the US imposed blockade at the Hormuz.
Meanwhile, President Trump has extended the cease-fire involving Iran, delaying any planned military action while diplomatic negotiations continue.
The decision came after delays in a scheduled U.S. delegation trip to Pakistan for further peace talks, led by Vice President JD Vance.
On Saturday, Iran’s army command announced that the Iranian armed forces have restored military control over the Strait of Hormuz due to the US blockade.
According to Trump’s statement on Truth Social, the extension followed requests from Pakistani leaders and claimed that Iran’s government is divided and unable to present a unified negotiating position due to trust issues with the US.
He said the U.S. military has been instructed to maintain a blockade on Iranian ports while remaining prepared for further action if talks fail.
Iranian participation in the next round of talks remains uncertain, adding further delays to the process.
Previous negotiations between U.S. and Iranian representatives in Islamabad earlier this month ended without agreement. Those discussions centered on U.S. demands that Iran halt uranium enrichment and surrender significant nuclear materials. While Trump has claimed Iran agreed to certain concessions, Iranian officials have denied this.
Tensions remain high, with both sides accusing each other of violating the cease-fire through military pressure and naval actions in the region. Iranian officials have called the blockade of their ports an act of war, while US leaders argue it is necessary leverage in negotiations.
