Daily TribuneThe US military escorts over the last day and a half drew Iranian attacks.
PARIS, France (AFP) — French shipping company CMA CGM said Wednesday one of its vessels had been targeted by an attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
“The CMA CGM San Antonio was the target of an attack yesterday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel,” the shipping firm said in a statement, adding those injured had been evacuated for treatment.
The Maltese-flagged vessel was attacked a day after United States President Donald Trump launched the so-called “Project Freedom” to help vessels leave the Strait of Hormuz.
On Tuesday, Trump said he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the vital strait, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the war.
Iran has refused to surrender control of the strait, using it as leverage in the conflict, which began with US-Israeli attacks in late February.
Despite an uptick in military activity in recent days, Trump said “great progress has been made” toward a deal with Tehran and that the ship-guiding operation “will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.”
The announcement came hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US had completed its offensive operations against Iran, while withholding the right to unleash a “devastating” response to any new attacks on shipping in the narrow shipping lanes.
Rubio echoed Washington’s top military officer who earlier in the day said that US forces were ready to resume combat operations if ordered.
And Trump added that the blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force and effect.”
The US military escorts over the last day and a half — dubbed “Project Freedom” by Trump — drew Iranian attacks, threatening an already fragile ceasefire.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy warned of a “firm response” if ships deviated from its approved route through the strait, as the country’s chief negotiator said Tehran “had not even started yet,” following a spate of attacks in the crucial trade route.
