At least three ships were reportedly hit by unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, escalating hostilities between Iran, the United States, and Israel, maritime authorities confirmed.
Thailand’s Transport Ministry said rescue teams were searching for three crew members after a Thailand-flagged vessel was struck, while Brics News reported the attack was carried out by Iranian forces.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations also reported damage to a separate vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, and a third ship was damaged northwest of Dubai.
The strikes came after a U.S. military operation targeted over a dozen Iranian mine-laying vessels in the Gulf. President Donald Trump had previously warned Tehran of serious consequences if it blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas is transported. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had earlier stated that it would prevent “one liter of oil” from the region from reaching the U.S. or its allies.
In parallel, Israel launched additional strikes in Lebanon and Iran on Wednesday. Reports indicate an apartment building in southern Beirut was hit. The UAE confirmed it intercepted missiles fired from Iran, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar reported attacks involving drones and missiles linked to the ongoing conflict.
The violence has already claimed hundreds of lives across the region. Within less than two weeks of conflict, over a thousand deaths have been reported in Iran, with additional casualties in neighboring countries. Among them are seven U.S. soldiers killed in retaliatory attacks and scores of students at an Iranian girls’ school affected by strikes associated with U.S. operations.
The escalation has heightened international concerns over the safety of maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint for global energy shipments, and raised fears of broader regional instability.
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