An Iranian commercial ship is struck near Strait of Hormuz with 1 dead, Iranian media say

An Iranian commercial vessel was struck early Sunday off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, with one person killed and four wounded, Iranian state media said, a day before Tehran seeks to brief regional countries on its contested efforts to manage shipping traffic there.

State-run IRNA news agency quoted the Qeshm governor as blaming a “terrorist enemy.” He also said the person killed was among the cargo vessel’s 10-member crew, and that authorities had not yet identified the projectile.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor reported a vessel was hit by a projectile while transiting the strait, with no details. There was no immediate statement by the U.S. military, which previously has struck Iranian-flagged vessels as it keeps up a blockade of Iranian ports — while facing a new threat in recent days from Iranian ballistic missiles launched at its warships.

Qeshm Island, located about 14 miles from the port city of Bandar Abbas, is key to Iran asserting control over traffic through the strait.

Sunday’s strike came as tensions continue around the waterway that was seen as an international one before the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.