The President of the USA Donald Trump on Friday he blamed Iran for carrying out a drone attack on a cargo ship in Strait of Hormuzcalling it a “senseless violation” of the cease-fire agreement with the US
A drone damaged the ship’s upper deck, but the ship was able to continue, Trump said. The United States shot down three other drones targeting the ship, he said.
His social media post did not identify the ship or the time of the attack, but on Thursday the British military said a ship was hit by a shell off the coast of Oman.
The development comes during a fragile time for the US and Iran as they work to negotiate a permanent end to the war. Iran has increasingly challenged the region and the US over control of the Strait of Hormuz, even with the current interim deal it reached with the US last week.
A missile alert in the United Arab Emirates caused by a technical glitch earlier on Friday underscored ongoing tensions in the region, following the attack on the cargo ship and Israeli attacks in Lebanon in recent days.
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The mobile phone alert startled many across the city-state of Dubai, the first such alert since the temporary ceasefire.
The brief text alert that was sent by the UAE Interior Ministry on Friday afternoon was also the first of its kind in Dubai during the Iran war. However, alarms have gone out in the region warning of incoming Iranian missiles and drones since the start of the war on February 28, when the US and Iran launched their attacks on Iran.
Shortly after the alert, the Emirates said there was a phone call between Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He quoted Sheikh Abdullah as telling Araghchi that the UAE “stressed the importance of full commitment” to the interim agreement between Iran and the US.
“Serious diplomacy and responsible dialogue are the optimal way to address all regional and international crises,” the statement said.
The US and Iran are still negotiating the terms of the interim peace deal, including issues such as the passage of ships through the key strait and addressing the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Under the interim agreement, both sides have 60 days to work out the details.
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