A fragile ceasefire extended by Donald Trump appears under strain, after three container ships were hit by Iranian gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, maritime authorities said.
The bridge of a Liberia-flagged container ship was damaged after being hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades northeast of Oman.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the master of the vessel reported being approached by an IRGC gunboat and was subsequently fired upon.
A Panama-flagged vessel and another Liberia-flagged vessel also came under fire, the UKMTO and maritime security sources told Reuters news agency.
It comes after Trump walked back several threats against Iran to instead announce the extension of a fragile two-week ceasefire that was due to conclude on Wednesday.
The president announced that he had ordered the US military to continue to blockade Iranian ports until Tehran’s leaders and representatives came up with “a unified proposal”.
Iran has refused to send negotiators to Pakistan for talks until Trump lifts the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Middle Eastern officials told Politico.
