Iran revealed that its cargo ship was attacked while in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in one death, as it prepared to meet with Arab nations to clarify the management of the strait.
Iranian government media reported that an Iranian cargo ship was attacked on the morning of Sunday, 13 Sep 2026, off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, just one day before Tehran was scheduled to brief regional countries on its plans to manage this vital waterway.
The attack caused one fatality and four injuries, amid escalating threats to maritime transport in the Middle East after Houthi rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, seized an island in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea last week.
Iran’s IRNA news agency quoted the governor of Qeshm Island saying the attack was carried out by "enemy terrorists," a phrase implying U.S. involvement. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has not commented. However, the U.S. has previously attacked Iranian cargo ships as part of economic blockade measures.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that a vessel was attacked by explosives while passing through the Strait of Hormuz but did not confirm if this was the same incident reported by Iranian media. UKMTO added that a fire broke out on the ship and local authorities are urgently evacuating people.
Qeshm Island, located about 22 km from the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, is a strategic point Iran uses to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Just hours before the attack, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on social media, "Our people will never bow to threats, and Iran will never surrender," signaling a tough stance.
Separately, Middle Eastern foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on Monday in Oman to discuss Iranian and Omani proposals for managing maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz amid rising oil prices caused by political tensions and cargo ship attacks.
Iran has proposed charging tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring inbound ships to pass through Iranian waters while outbound vessels traverse waters of both Iran and Oman. However, Iran insists the strait will only be fully open once the U.S. ends its maritime blockade.
So far, only Iraq has officially confirmed attendance at the meeting, while Bahrain has declined due to lack of diplomatic relations with Iran. Other Gulf countries have yet to clarify their participation.
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Source:apnews