Several commercial cargo ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, maritime security sources said, shortly after the United States announced it had destroyed multiple Iranian vessels suspected of laying naval mines in the strategic waterway.
The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was struck and damaged about 11 nautical miles north of Oman, according to maritime security officials. The incident brought the total number of commercial vessels attacked since the escalation began to at least 14.
Earlier in the day, the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty sustained damage from an unidentified projectile roughly 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, two maritime security sources said.
Another bulk carrier, the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, was also hit by what security firms described as an unknown projectile around 50 miles northwest of Dubai.
The attacks were reported across the Strait of Hormuz after the US military said it had “eliminated” 16 Iranian vessels believed to be preparing to deploy naval mines that could block the critical shipping route.
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against attempting to mine the waterway, saying such actions would threaten global energy supplies.
Iran, meanwhile, threatened what it called its most “intense strikes” of the conflict so far, raising fears of further escalation across the Gulf and additional risks to global shipping and oil markets.