Two merchant ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz, talks disrupted again

2026-07-07

Two merchant ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 6th, citing a senior U.S. official, that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked two merchant ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz with missiles. The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said a tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile off eastern Oman near the strait and caught fire. No casualties were reported.

Impact spreads to mediator Qatar

According to WSJ, one of the two ships attacked is believed to be an LNG carrier owned by a Qatari company. Qatar is acting as a mediator in the U.S.-Iran talks. The United States and Iran signed a memorandum on June 17 aimed at ending the fighting and began negotiations seeking a final agreement within 60 days, but exchanges of attacks have continued since then. Both sides agreed to exercise restraint, but uncertainty over the resumption of talks remains.

Talks set to resume amid mounting pressure

Talks between the United States and Iran are expected to resume after the state funeral for Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in late February. The divide over control of the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear development has not been bridged.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 6th that on the talks, 'It is either we reach an agreement or we finish the job,' pressuring Iran by suggesting another attack. 'I want to make a deal. I do not want to affect Iran's 91 million people,' he also said.

According to Iranian state media, an Iranian official warned on the 6th in response to Trump's remarks that 'If you do not treat the Iranian people with respect, we will respond in another language.'

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