Lead
US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of a 'foolish violation' of the ceasefire agreement after a drone struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack, which caused damage but no casualties, has heightened tensions in the region and prompted the UN's shipping agency to pause plans to evacuate stranded sailors.
Coverage comparison
Trump took to his Truth Social platform on Friday to state that Iran launched at least four drones at ships transiting the strait. He wrote that one of the drones 'solidly hit the upper deck of a large and very expensive Cargo Carrying Ship,' while the other three were shot down. 'Obviously, this is a foolish violation of our Ceasefire Agreement,' he added, as reported by the Jerusalem Post and Al Jazeera.
The ship was later identified as the Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged vessel owned by Taiwan-based Evergreen Marine, according to the BBC and Al Jazeera. The vessel had been stranded in the Gulf for more than 100 days after loading cargo in Iraq. No crew members were injured, and the ship was able to continue its voyage, the BBC reported.
ABC Australia noted that the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced on Thursday that a cargo ship in the strait was 'hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge,' reporting no casualties. The incident occurred about 14 kilometres off Oman's coast, the outlet added.
The attack comes at a fragile time, as the US and Iran are negotiating an interim peace deal, according to The Guardian and the South China Morning Post. Both outlets also reported that the US and Iran are working toward a permanent end to the war, with an interim deal reached last week.
Key Claims
- Trump accused Iran of launching at least four drones at ships in the Strait of Hormuz, with one hitting a cargo ship and three being shot down, as reported by multiple outlets.
- The ship, Ever Lovely, was struck by a drone and sustained damage to its upper deck, but all crew members remained safe, according to the BBC and Al Jazeera.
- The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) paused its efforts to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Gulf, as reported by ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, and the BBC.
- The IMO's secretary general, Arsenio Dominguez, announced the suspension of evacuation efforts for some 600 ships and 11,000 sailors, according to ABC Australia.
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned vessels against using an IMO-designated route, calling it 'unacceptable and completely dangerous,' and said vessels should coordinate with Iran, as reported by the BBC and Al Jazeera.
- The IRGC denied US assertions of a direct communication line with the US regarding the strait, a claim carried by Al Jazeera.
- The price of Brent North Sea crude oil dived more than 5% on Friday, as reported by ABC Australia.
- A missile warning in the United Arab Emirates was caused by a technical glitch, as reported by The Guardian and the South China Morning Post.