US-Iran war: UKMTO says ship hit by projectile within Strait of Hormuz

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Saturday reported an incident within the Strait of Hormuz saying that the Master of Tanker reported that the ship is being struck by an "unidentified projectile".

"UKMTO has received a report of an incident within the Strait of Hormuz. The Master of Tanker has reported being struck by an unidentified projectile," it said.

Also read: US strikes Iran following attack on cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz


No organization or nation has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

The maritime agency added that the vessel sustained damage to its bridge and all crew are reported safe.

No environmental damage has been reported at present, it said, adding that relevant maritime authorities are investigating the incident. The UKMTO also advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.

Another British marine security firm, Vanguard Tech, said the vessel was the Panama-flagged tanker KIKU.

Authorities are investigating the strike that comes hours after an Iranian drone launched a strike on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, throwing the fate of the recently agreed US-Iran peace deal into question.

US-Iran trade fresh strikes

Following the Iranian attack, the US military on Friday launched attacks on missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites.

US Central Command said the strikes were a response to "unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces" that "clearly violated the ceasefire."

In a statement, CENTCOM said US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely with a one-way attack drone on June 25 while it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast.

"The unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces clearly violated the ceasefire. Furthermore, Iran's dangerous behaviour undermined freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through the vital international trade corridor," the statement said.

The US military added that it continues to provide "safe passage coordination and support" to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments pass.

"The US military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed, and in full force and effect," CENTCOM said, while releasing a 37-second video of the strikes.

Although CENTCOM did not disclose the exact locations of the strikes, Iranian state television, citing a correspondent in Sirik, reported that an explosion was heard late Friday at Taherouyeh pier in the southern port city. The broadcaster quoted an informed military source as saying the blast was caused by a projectile impact.

Iran's foreign ministry called the US strikes "a blatant violation" of the memorandum of understanding to end the war.

Reacting to the latest developments, US Vice President JD Vance warned Iran against further attacks.

"Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honoured it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence," Vance wrote on X.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck US sites in the Gulf in retaliation, warning that "if the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this."

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump called Iran's drone strike a "foolish" violation of the ceasefire agreement.

"One of the Drones solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that three other drones were intercepted.

"Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement," he said.

Bahrain said it was targeted by several Iranian drones on Saturday, condemning the attacks and accusing Tehran of "sabotaging peace efforts."

Tehran has also warned Gulf states not to side with Washington, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi saying safe passage through the Strait "cannot be guaranteed under ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes or decision-making that does not take Iran's role as a coastal state into account."

The ceasefire between Washington and Tehran formally came into effect on April 8, although intermittent hostilities have continued. The two sides signed a 14-point framework agreement on June 17 aimed at ending nearly four months of conflict, and concluded the first round of follow-up talks in Switzerland earlier this week.

Despite the escalation, oil prices fell roughly 3% on Friday. Saudi Aramco resumed crude loadings at its Ras Tanura terminal, the world's largest oil port, after a nearly four-month halt.