Maritime security concerns intensified in and around the Strait of Hormuz after reports emerged that three commercial vessels were attacked following the extension of the ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to information circulating in regional media and maritime monitoring reports, the incidents involved three separate cargo ships navigating one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.
The first reported attack involved the Epaminondas, a container vessel owned by a Greek company. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said a gunboat linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on the ship in the Strait of Hormuz, around 15 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The vessel’s bridge was said to have suffered significant damage.
A second ship, the Euphoria, sailing under the Panamanian flag and owned by a company based in the United Arab Emirates, was also reportedly targeted. Maritime sources said the incident took place about eight nautical miles west of Iran. Initial reports indicated that the crew was unharmed and that the vessel did not sustain visible damage.
The third vessel identified in the reports was the MSC Francesca, another Panama-flagged ship. Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard said it came under attack roughly six nautical miles off the Iranian coast while leaving the Strait of Hormuz and entering the Gulf of Oman. The ship reportedly suffered damage to its hull and living quarters.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy claimed that the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas were taken under its control and redirected toward the Iranian coast. Iranian authorities alleged that the vessels had been operating without the required permissions and had interfered with their navigation systems.
The reported incidents add to renewed uncertainty in the Hormuz corridor, a critical passage for global energy and trade flows, at a time when regional tensions remain high despite efforts to preserve the ceasefire. Further independent confirmation of the full circumstances surrounding the attacks is still awaited.
