world
US Escorts Ships Through Strait of Hormuz; Iran Attacks UAE Oil Facility
US forces guided two merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions, while Iran launched a drone strike on a UAE oil facility, injuring three people. The actions tested a shaky ceasefire, with oil prices rising and global markets reacting. UN officials urged a return to freedom of navigation without military escalation.
DE
UN
+19
The Washington PostAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
US military forces successfully escorted two American-flagged merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking initial progress in efforts to restore commercial shipping amid heightened tensions with Iran. Adm. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, stated that US helicopters sank six Iranian small boats targeting civilian vessels in the strait.
He added that US forces defeated multiple Iranian cruise missiles, drones, and small boats aimed at protected ships. The US military has cleared a pathway free of Iranian mines and established a defensive umbrella with helicopters and fighter planes to safeguard freighters exiting the Arabian Gulf.
Separately, authorities in the UAE's eastern emirate of Fujairah reported that an Iranian drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, injuring three Indian nationals with medium wounds. The facility serves as a terminus for a pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.
The British military reported a cargo ship ablaze off the UAE coast, with the fire in the vessel's engine room and all crew accounted for. Another cargo vessel was also reported on fire in the area. The UAE issued three missile alerts on Monday, the first since the ceasefire began nearly four weeks ago.
Airspace over the UAE was nearly empty during the warnings, according to flight tracking data.
“These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable violation.”
The UAE condemned the incidents as renewed Iranian aggression targeting civilian sites and reserved the right to respond to protect its sovereignty.
