Iran opens fire in Strait of Hormuz: one vessel stopped, another damaged near Oman

April 22, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has received reports of two separate maritime security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz region involving commercial vessels.

In the first incident, approximately 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman, a container ship was reportedly approached by a single Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboat while transiting the area.

According to initial reports, the gunboat opened fire without issuing any prior warning or radio challenge. The container vessel sustained significant damage to its bridge as a result of the attack, indicating a direct hit to the ship’s command and navigation area.

All crew members are confirmed to be safe and accounted for following the incident.

In a separate but related incident west of Iran, an outbound cargo ship reported coming under fire while navigating through the Strait of Hormuz region. The vessel subsequently came to a stop in the water after the attack. Initial assessments indicate that the crew remains safe and fully accounted for. At this stage, there are no confirmed reports of physical damage to the ship.

Both incidents occurred within a strategically sensitive maritime corridor that serves as a critical route for global commercial shipping and energy transport. The circumstances surrounding the attacks remain under review, and further details are expected as maritime authorities continue to assess the situation.

Since February 28, the UKMTO received a total of 35 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman. Of these, 22 were classified as attack reports, while 13 were categorised as suspicious activity.

Earlier on, two Indian-flagged vessels were fired upon by Iranian gunboats while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.