Two ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz, UK says, after U.S. extends Iran ceasefire

Two cargo ships were attacked in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, authorities said Wednesday, after the U.S. extended the ceasefire and as diplomats seek to bring the U.S. and Iran together for peace talks.

A vessel reported being fired upon about eight nautical miles off the coast of Iran, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, center said at 8:38 London time (3:38 a.m. ET), which also warned of “high levels of activity” in the Strait of Hormuz area.

The crew were reported to be safe and accounted for, the UKMTO said, and the vessel did not sustain any damage. It was not immediately clear who shot at the ship.

The incident followed an earlier report of an attack that took place roughly 15 miles northeast of Oman at 5:47 a.m. London time.

The UKMTO said a container ship was approached by an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) gunboat. The IRGC ship was said to have fired upon the ship, causing “heavy damage” to the bridge. All crew were reported safe.

The attacks come shortly after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would extend the ceasefire with Iran to allow for Iran’s leaders to submit a “unified proposal” to end the war.

This came after reports that Vice President JD Vance’s trip to Pakistan for a second round of peace talks with Iranian officials had been put on hold, and after the Iranian state news outlet Tasnim reported that negotiators from Tehran would not attend further talks.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key maritime corridor that connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Roughly 20% of global oil and gas typically passes through it.

Attacks on commercial ships in the Gulf in recent weeks have ratcheted up fears of a prolonged economic shock.

— CNBC’s Dan Mangan and Kevin Breuninger both contributed to this report.