A French container ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries to several crew members, amid recurring promises from U.S. President Donald Trump to escort commercial vessels through this vital waterway, UNN reports, citing POLITICO.
Details
French shipping giant CMA CGM confirmed to POLITICO that its vessel, the "San Antonio," was targeted in an attack as the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has been breached in recent days.
"The CMA CGM Group confirms that one of its vessels… was attacked yesterday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries to crew members and damage to the vessel," the company said in a statement, adding that the injured sailors have been evacuated and are receiving medical treatment.
The vessel turned off its tracking signal before entering the strait, so the exact location of the strike remains unclear.
US suspends escorting of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump awaits deal with Iran06.05.26, 02:50
Context
The incident occurred following Trump's announcement that the U.S. would ensure the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz under "Project Freedom," a plan to escort ships through the critical waterway. However, on Tuesday evening, he stated that the U.S. would suspend support for vessels transiting the strait "for a short time," citing "significant progress" in negotiations with Iran.
French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon stated: "The strikes on the CMA CGM vessel clearly show that the situation remains dangerous. The vessel was not flying the French flag. Thus, France was by no means the target of the attack. Both the Iranians and the Americans must understand that restoring freedom of navigation is in the common interest."
The attack took place amid a series of incidents over the past week.
On Tuesday, a cargo ship was hit by an unknown projectile in the strait. A day earlier, a fire was reported on a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. On Sunday, a tanker was struck by projectiles off the coast of Fujairah, UAE, while another bulk carrier reported an attack by several small vessels near Iranian waters.
Lars Jensen, CEO of maritime consultancy Vespucci Maritime, stated that the volatile situation means that even if corridors open, many operators are likely to take a wait-and-see approach before resuming normal routes.
Trump threatens Iran with bombing if Hormuz Strait is not unblocked06.05.26, 17:12