Iran Attacks Container Ship in Strait of Hormuz Amid Tensions with US

Shortly after US President Donald Trump announced the extension of the ceasefire deadline, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has become more serious. The UK Maritime Traffic Organisation (UKMTO) reported on Wednesday that Iran has attacked a container ship near the Strait of Hormuz. The agency further reported that a gunboat belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) approached the container ship. It did not give a radio warning before firing on the ship. The US has resorted to a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz to pressure Iran to end its hold on the strait. It is a vital sea route through which about 20 percent of the world's natural gas and crude oil pass in peacetime. Iran's hold on the strait has led to a steep rise in oil prices. Earlier, Trump extended the ceasefire deadline, saying it was seven weeks away from declaring a joint declaration aimed at ending Iran's internal leadership differences.