Iranian Attack Strikes U.S.-Contracted Ship Near Hormuz

A U.S.-contracted vessel carrying American personnel was struck this week in an Iranian drone and missile attack near the Strait of Hormuz, Fox News reported Wednesday, citing two sources familiar with the incident. The attack involved four Iranian drones and at least one missile, according to Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, with one weapon striking the vessel and causing minor injuries, including smoke inhalation. Injured personnel were taken to an undisclosed Gulf country for treatment. Fox News did not identify the ship, its operator, flag, exact location, or the nature of its contract with the United States, and it remains unclear whether the vessel was participating in U.S.-supported commercial transits through the strait. Neither U.S. Central Command nor other defense officials had publicly identified the vessel as of Wednesday morning, and gCaptain has not independently confirmed the report. The incident appears separate from an earlier attack on the tanker El Gaia, which was struck near the Strait of Hormuz before being taken under tow toward Oman, with two crew members still missing. Iranian forces have repeatedly targeted commercial vessels and U.S. military assets around the strait during a six-month conflict, while the U.S. has struck Iranian positions and vessels it says are linked to Tehran's efforts to restrict navigation. The strait remains one of the world's most closely watched shipping chokepoints, with missile, drone and mine threats continuing to complicate efforts to restore normal commercial traffic despite U.S. efforts to facilitate safer southern transit routes.