USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) conducts US blockade operations related to the Strait of Hormuz in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026.
Handout | Getty Images News | getty images
Two cargo ships were attacked in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, officials said Wednesday, as the United States extended a ceasefire and diplomats seek to bring the United States and Iran together for peace talks.
a ship informed The United Kingdom Center for Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported at 8:38 a.m. London time (3:38 a.m. ET) that the shots were being fired about eight nautical miles off the coast of Iran, also warning of a “high level of activity” in the Strait of Hormuz area.
UKMTO said the crew was reported safe and there was no damage to the ship. It was not immediately clear who fired at the ship.
The incident followed an earlier report of an attack about 15 miles north-east of Oman at 5:47 a.m. London time.
UKMTO said an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboat had approached a container ship. The IRGC ship was said to have fired on the ship, causing “heavy damage” to the bridge. All crew were reported safe.
The attacks come shortly after President Donald Trump said the US would extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow Iran’s leaders to present a “unified resolution” to end the war.
This comes after reports that Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace talks with Iranian officials was put on hold, and Iranian state news outlet Tasnim reported that Tehran’s negotiators would not attend further talks.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major sea corridor that connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. About 20% of global oil and gas typically passes through it.
Attacks on commercial ships in the Gulf in recent weeks have raised fears of a longer-term economic shock.
— CNBC’s Dan Mangan and Kevin Breuninger both contributed to this report.
