The Revolutionary Guard announces the targeting of a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.. What about the crew’s situation?

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced in a statement on Friday that it had targeted a ship carrying liquefied petroleum gas in the Strait of Hormuz, blaming the US military for escalating tension in maritime transport in the region, according to what was reported by the semi-official Iranian Mehr News Agency. The Revolutionary Guards Naval Forces announced in a statement that a ship they described as a “giant” carrying liquefied petroleum gas had been targeted, and claimed that direct responsibility for these incidents lies with the US Army, according to Mehr Agency.

The Revolutionary Guard added, "The sailors of the Revolutionary Guard's naval forces control the administration of the Strait of Hormuz. They have not and will not allow the presence of aggressor armies in this region, and they will deal firmly with the enemy's movements aimed at disrupting this administration." The Revolutionary Guard Navy explained that the ship, called “NV Sunshine,” belongs to the Natuit Company, and that it “intended to cross the (illegal) route south of the Strait of Hormuz, and a fire broke out in the engine room section and propulsion system, and it stopped.”

The statement said: “From now on, dealing with violating ships will not be limited to the Strait of Hormuz, and any ship that passes through the unauthorized crossing will be followed throughout the region, and its punishment will be certain.” For its part, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Authority said in a statement, on Friday, that it had received a report from multiple sources indicating that an incident had occurred 13 nautical miles west of the United Arab Emirates, during which a ship was targeted with an unknown projectile, causing a fire that was extinguished.

The British Maritime Authority added: “The status of the crew, damage assessment, and environmental impact are still unknown. Iran has long threatened to target any ship that takes routes not authorized by the Iranian authorities, in the strategic strait.”

Three different transit routes have emerged in the Strait, each carrying varying levels of risk. They are: Iran’s route: This route passes through its territorial waters, and Iran has imposed its use on ships since June 19, considering it the only safe passage in the Strait, in an attempt to use it as a pressure card. Iran has repeatedly fired on ships that tried to use other routes through the strait, prompting a military response from the United States that contributed to the collapse of a ceasefire reached by Washington and Tehran in June.

Oman Route - International Maritime Organization: The United Nations International Maritime Organization and the Sultanate of Oman proposed this route, which skirts the Omani coast south of the strait. Iran accused the Sultanate of Oman of opening this path under American pressure.

Iranian forces also opened fire on commercial ships in Omani territorial waters near the Strait, attacks that Washington says violate the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran. Pre-war route: The third route is the pre-war shipping corridor near the center of the strait, which Iran now classifies as a “dangerous area.”

Despite the security risks, some ships still use it. This corridor is considered particularly dangerous due to the danger of mines planted by Iran