Merchant vessels report gunfire as they attempt to cross Hormuz – report

There have been reports of gunfire after at least two merchant vessels tried to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the news agency Reuters reports, citing three maritime sources.

At least two merchant vessels said they were hit by gunfire as they ⁠attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Reuters reported quoting three maritime security and shipping sources.

The impact was not immediately clear.

Iran had earlier reversed the brief reopening of the key waterway, accusing the US of not meeting its obligations under a ceasefire agreement.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations reports that it has recorded a reported incident near the strait northeast of Oman.

The captain of a tanker said his vessel had been approached by gunboats of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, who opened fire, according to the Royal Navy-run organisation.

But the tanker and its crew are reportedly safe.

Earlier, during the strait’s brief reopening, several vessels had started moving through the shipping lane in what Reuters called the “first major movement” of ships in the strait since the start of the war.

Convoy appears to have dispersed

The convoy that had formed appears to have dispersed by now, however, as recent tracking data from the platform MarineTraffic shows.

--Agencies