Seoul, May 4: An explosion on a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz has led to a fire onboard. South Korean officials confirmed potential attacks on their ship on Monday. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
A representative from the Foreign Ministry stated that the consular affairs team is verifying whether an attack occurred on the South Korean ship. Preliminary reports indicate that no citizens have been injured.
The ministry is also assessing the extent of the damage to the vessel and identifying those responsible for the incident.
According to Yonhap News Agency, if confirmed, this would mark the first attack on a South Korean-flagged ship in this crucial waterway. Tensions in the region have escalated following attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, leading to a near-closure of this vital maritime route.
Currently, around 2,000 vessels remain stranded in this waterway, including 26 South Korean ships.
This incident coincides with Washington’s launch of “Project Freedom,” aimed at facilitating the passage of stranded vessels in the Strait. Iran has labeled this initiative a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
In early April, Donald Trump extended the ceasefire deadline and called for a new peace proposal from Iran while increasing military pressure and economic sanctions.
Peace talks have stalled as last month’s direct discussions between the two parties ended without an agreement.
The blockade of this waterway has impacted global oil and gas supplies, as nearly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas trade transits through it.
Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Monday that two American commercial vessels have successfully navigated through the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM stated on social media platform X that U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers are currently operating in the Arabian Gulf and have passed through the Strait to support “Project Freedom.”
They further noted that the U.S. military is assisting in normalizing the movement of commercial vessels. As a first step, two U.S.-flagged ships have safely traversed the Strait and continue their journey.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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