An armed vessel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approached and attacked a container ship in the Gulf of Hormuz without attempting to establish communication, according to the UKMTO Maritime Transportation Coordination Center. The incident was reported on April 22.
The UKMTO stated it received an alert 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman. A container ship captain described one IRGC boat approaching the vessel, refusing radio contact, and then opening fire—which caused serious damage to the bridge.
UKMTO officials confirmed there were no fires or environmental harm, and all crew members remain unharmed.
This incident follows recent escalation in the region. On April 20, a French container ship owned by CMA CGM was damaged after being attacked while navigating the Strait of Hormuz. All crew members were safe, and the vessel remained operational despite individual container damage. Similarly, on April 18, at least two merchant ships were fired upon as they attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz, with commercial vessels receiving a radio message from Iranian naval authorities prohibiting their passage.
