Iran Says It Struck LPG Carrier Near Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said Friday it struck the LPG carrier NV Sunshine after the vessel attempted to use a route south of the Strait of Hormuz that Tehran considers unauthorized. Separately, maritime authorities reported that a projectile hit a different vessel off the United Arab Emirates, causing a fire. The available reports do not establish whether the incidents were connected. The Guard’s statement, carried by Iranian state media, said the carrier was owned by NatWit and had been struck while attempting to transit south of the strait. The claim has not been independently confirmed in the supplied reports. The Guard said Iran had taken control of administering the waterway and has insisted that ships obtain permission to use routes designated by Tehran. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a vessel about 13 nautical miles off Al Jazeera Al Hamra, in the UAE, was struck by a projectile and caught fire. It said the crew’s status, the extent of damage and any environmental impact were unknown, and that authorities were investigating. Maritime security firm Vanguard identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged crude tanker GEM NO.2.