MSC Containership Damaged in Apparent Attack Off Iraq

A Panama-flagged containership has been damaged in what appears to be the third reported attack off Iraq since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict in late February, raising fresh concerns about security risks for vessels operating in the northern Arabian Gulf even as diplomatic efforts continue to focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an incident involving a cargo vessel approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of Umm Qasr, Iraq.

According to the advisory, the vessel was transiting in the Arabian Gulf when it was struck on its