One Killed in Attack on Iranian Ship

An Iranian merchant ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz early Sunday morning, killing one person and injuring three others, Iranian state media reported, citing the governor of Qeshm district.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), an agency affiliated with the Royal Navy, said it had received a report of a projectile striking the vessel as it sailed through the strait. The extent of the damage and the condition of the crew were not known as of Sunday morning, the agency said.

The UKMTO report came a day after Saudi Arabia announced that it had temporarily closed its East-West pipeline as a precautionary measure following a drone attack that both Baghdad and Riyadh say originated in Iraq, where Iran-backed militias are active.

Ongoing attacks amid the escalating war in the Middle East could push energy prices even higher after a week in which the price of Brent crude once again exceeded $100 per barrel.

(Reuters, su)