File image.
A vessel contracted by the United States was struck by an Iranian drone and missile attack near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, injuring people aboard and further escalating a confrontation that has increasingly centered on the strategic waterway.
The attack involved four Iranian drones and at least one missile, with one projectile directly hitting the vessel, two sources familiar with the incident told Fox News on September 16.
The strike caused minor physical injuries among crew members, including cases of smoke inhalation, and those wounded were receiving medical treatment in an unidentified Gulf country. Several American personnel were aboard the vessel when it was attacked.
Neither the U.S. government nor Iran has officially acknowledged the attack. U.S. Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, did not immediately comment.
The reported strike came as fighting around the Strait of Hormuz has intensified. The waterway, between Iran and Oman, is a critical global energy route and has become one of the main arenas of the conflict. Maritime traffic through the strait has fallen sharply amid attacks and heightened military activity.
Iran separately said on September 16 that its air defenses had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper combat drone over Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the drone was detected in the early morning and was subsequently brought down. It claimed the aircraft was the 52nd MQ-9 it had shot down.
A day earlier, the IRGC also said that it had shot down four U.S. MQ-1 drones over the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas in recent days, underscoring the growing importance of air and maritime operations around the waterway.
The escalation has sharply disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Only four vessel crossings were recorded on September 15, down from seven the previous day and well below the 10-day average of 18, according to shipping data cited by Reuters.
The decline reflects Iran’s tight control over the waterway. The strait normally carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, making the reduction in traffic significant for energy shipments and international shipping.
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