Chinese Oil Tanker Attacked in Strait of Hormuz

China has confirmed that an oil products tanker carrying Chinese crew was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. According to foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, there are Chinese nationals aboard the vessel but no reported crew casualties so far.

The attack occurred near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, before a meeting between China's foreign minister Wang Yi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi in Beijing on Wednesday. The two ministers discussed reopening the strait, which has been severely disrupted by renewed attacks on vessels this week.

Maritime security sources believe the damaged vessel to be the Marshall Islands-flagged oil products and chemical tanker JV Innovation, which reported a fire on deck to nearby ships on Monday. The incident occurred off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf, near Mina Saqr.