A ship was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after several freighters turned back while attempting to cross the vital waterway, developments that may undermine what had been a rapid reopening of the energy chokepoint.
The unidentified cargo ship was hit on its side and sustained damage to the bridge while it was sailing to the southeast of Oman, UK Maritime Trade Operations said.
Oil prices turned higher after the incident, and Brent crude touched session highs above $75 a barrel following a Wall Street Journal report that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a Singapore-flagged cargo ship Thursday in the Strait of Hormuz.
A White House official said it was too soon to say who struck the ship, but the US was looking into which party was responsible for the strike, including whether it was an action ordered by high levels of the IRGC or a rogue decision by lower-level personnel.
The official said there were no deaths or environmental damage, and that the ship was able to continue sailing.
