US-Contracted Vessel Hit in Reported Iranian Attack Near Strait of Hormuz
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: A vessel contracted by the United States and carrying American personnel was reportedly struck in an Iranian drone and missile attack near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, leaving several people with minor injuries.
The reported attack involved four Iranian drones and at least one missile, according to accounts citing two sources familiar with the incident. One projectile reportedly struck the vessel directly while it was operating in waters near the strategically important passage.
Crew members suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, and those affected were receiving medical treatment in an unidentified Gulf country, according to the reports. Several US personnel were said to have been aboard the vessel at the time.
Details surrounding the incident were initially reported by Fox News based on two unnamed sources familiar with the matter and subsequently carried by several news organisations.
Neither Washington nor Tehran had publicly confirmed the reported attack in the accounts reviewed. US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment cited by Anadolu, while US Naval Forces Central Command referred questions to CENTCOM.
The absence of official confirmation means details including the vessel’s identity, its precise location, the number of injured personnel and the circumstances surrounding the attack remain uncertain.
The incident comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the principal flashpoints in the continuing US-Iran conflict. The narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman is strategically important for international energy shipments, making military activity around the passage a major concern for shipping and oil markets.
Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had shot down a US-made MQ-9 drone over Qeshm Island, near the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC had also claimed the previous day that it downed three MQ-1 drones in and around the waterway.
The reported vessel strike adds to growing concerns about maritime security around Hormuz as military activity and disruptions continue to affect one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
However, because the vessel incident has not yet been publicly confirmed by either the US or Iranian governments, the claim of direct Iranian responsibility should continue to be described as reported rather than independently established.
