Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate After Attack on French CMA CGM Vessel

French shipping group CMA CGM has confirmed that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, leaving crew members injured and the ship damaged.

The company said the incident occurred on May 5 during passage through the strategic waterway, one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors for global trade and energy shipments.

CMA CGM has acknowledged earlier security incidents in the Gulf. The company said its vessels had previously come under warning shots in the same area, although no crew members were injured in those cases.

It declined to give further details on the latest attack beyond confirming it and its impact.

Shipping data shows that the Maltese-flagged vessel San Antonio was heading to Mundra in India when the incident occurred.

The French shipping giant, the world’s third-largest container shipping line, continues to face disruption in the Gulf. It has previously been stated that 14 of its vessels were stranded in the Gulf at the start of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Also Read: Strait of Hormuz Disruption Sends Brief Oil Price Spikes, Long-Term Effects Emerging

Trump suspends Operation Project Freedom

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States had suspended Operation Project Freedom. He said the mission aimed to evacuate ships from unaffiliated countries trapped in the Strait of Hormuz.

He described it as a humanitarian effort to free vessels stuck in the waterway.

CNN, citing Iran’s state-run Press TV, reported that Iran introduced a new system for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Under the mechanism, vessels receive emails from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority outlining new passage rules.

Also Read: Tensions Surge After Cargo Vessels Hit in Strait of Hormuz Hours After Ceasefire Extension

Rising Regional Maritime Tensions

The United Arab Emirates reported an Iranian drone attack on an ADNOC tanker operating in the strait.

In another claim, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said it opened fire on a U.S. frigate. Washington denied the allegation, and the U.S. Central Command said no American ships were hit.

Trump also alleged that Iranian forces attacked a South Korean vessel in the same waterway, further escalating tensions in the region.

As investigations continue, the attack on the CMA CGM vessel adds to growing concerns over maritime safety in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping corridor.

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A small Iranian Naval patrol boat cruises past an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz canal. PHOTO/ Bloomberg