July 6 (UPI) — An oil tanker was struck by an unknown projectile near the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, the British military said, renewing tensions amid U.S.-Iran negotiations.
The unidentified ship was hit about 8 nautical miles off the coast of Limah, Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center said in a statement.
The ship’s master reported the incident at 1:19 a.m. local time, it said.
The strike to the port side of the vessel caused a fire, officials said, though no casualties or environmental impact was reported.
Though Iran has eased its maritime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran continues to seek control over the vital energy transit route.
Following the strike, Iran’s state-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported that the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat was targeted after allegedly ignoring Iranian warnings against transiting through what it called the “Omani route” of the Strait of Hormuz.
It said the tanker was being escorted through the route by the U.S. Navy.
It was not immediately clear whether Al Rekayyat had been struck or whether it was the vessel reported by UKMTO.
Al Rekayyat is a liquefied natural gas tanker sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, according to the Marine Traffic website.
Iran has been blamed for attacks on more than 15 ships during its effort to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Tehran on Feb. 28.
The strait has been a sticking point in ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran toward ending the war. Iran has resisted the Trump administration’s demand for freedom of navigation through the strait, seeking to maintain authority over shipping routes there.
Late last month, the newly founded Persian Gulf Strait Authority warned vessels attempting to transit outside its approved routes that their security cannot be ensured.
Last week, the two sides held indirect talks in Doha, but made little progress.