US attacks cargo ships in Strait of Hormuz killing five people — Tasnim

Lead

A deadly incident in the Strait of Hormuz has sparked a war of words between Iran and the United States, with Tehran accusing Washington of killing five civilians on passenger boats, while US military officials say they targeted Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels. The clash, which occurred on Monday, has further strained a fragile ceasefire and raised fears of a renewed conflict in the strategic waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Al Jazeera, TASS, and other outlets present starkly different accounts of the incident. Al Jazeera, citing an unnamed Iranian military commander quoted by state broadcaster IRIB, reported that Iran launched an investigation after the US claimed to have attacked IRGC vessels. The investigation concluded that US forces had instead "attacked two small boats carrying people on their way from Khasab on the coast of Oman to the coast of Iran on Monday." The boats were destroyed, killing five civilian passengers, the commander said, adding that the US "must be held accountable for their crime."

In contrast, US Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of Central Command, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying that US military helicopters sank six small Iranian boats that had attempted to interfere with a US mission to escort stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump later put the number of sunk boats at seven. The US operation, dubbed "Project Freedom," has been central to Washington's efforts to reopen the strait, which Iran has effectively blockaded following US and Israeli attacks on the country on February 28.

TASS, quoting Iran's Tasnim news agency, reported a similar account of civilian casualties, stating that at least five people were killed in a US attack on two cargo ships carrying civilian cargo from the Omani port of Khasab to Iran. Iran has denied that any of its navy vessels were sunk on Monday, a claim carried by TASS and not directly addressed by US officials beyond their initial statements.

Key Claims

• US attack on civilian boats: Iran claims that US forces attacked two small passenger boats in the Strait of Hormuz, killing five civilians. This account is based on an Iranian military investigation and has been reported by Al Jazeera and TASS, though it has not been independently verified.
• US military's version: US Admiral Brad Cooper stated that Central Command forces sank six IRGC vessels that had attempted to interfere with a US mission to escort stranded ships. President Trump said the number was seven. These claims have not been corroborated by independent sources.
• Iranian denial: Iran has denied that any Iranian navy vessels were sunk on Monday, according to TASS. This contradicts the US account.
• Broader civilian casualties: The Iranian Merchant Mariners Syndicate has reported that at least 44 Iranian seafarers have been killed and 29 injured since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, with nine missing. The syndicate's general-secretary, Saman Rezaei, told Al Jazeera that the deaths include 22 civilian sailors, 16 fishermen, and six dock workers between February 28 and April 1. He has submitted complaints to the UN's International Maritime Organization, attributing the deaths to "attacks by US and Israeli armies on Iranian ports and commercial fleets."
• Air strikes: Claims of over 3,000 US and Israeli air strikes across Iran since February 28 have been reported, though the source is not specified in the provided materials.

Perspectives

Iranian Perspective: Iran frames the incident as an unprovoked attack on civilians, highlighting what it sees as US aggression and a disregard for human life. The investigation by Iranian authorities serves to counter US claims about targeting IRGC vessels, and the broader statistics on seafarer deaths aim to draw international attention to the humanitarian cost of the conflict.

US Perspective: The US military maintains that its actions were defensive in nature, targeting IRGC vessels that threatened a mission to escort stranded ships through the strait. The operation "Project Freedom" is presented as a necessary step to reopen international waters, with the US accusing Iran of blockading the vital corridor.

International/Legal Perspective: The involvement of the UN's International Maritime Organization, as referenced by the Iranian syndicate, suggests a legal and humanitarian dimension. Complaints filed with the IMO may serve to pressure both sides to uphold maritime law and protect civilian sailors, though the IMO's jurisdiction over such incidents is limited.

As of now, there has been no immediate comment from the US military on Iran's latest allegations, leaving the competing narratives unresolved. The incident underscores the volatility of the region and the difficulty of verifying events in a conflict where both sides present starkly different versions of the truth.