DOHA / ISTANBUL — An Iranian commercial vessel was struck early Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, near Hengam Island and the Shib Deraz coast of Qeshm in the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said, with one crew member killed and others wounded — as Tehran’s outlets blamed a “US attack” that has not been independently confirmed, and a British maritime monitor separately reported a vessel hit by an unidentified munition in the strait.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, citing Qeshm Governor Amir Teymouri (also rendered Hossein Amir Teymoori / Amirteimouri in some English reports), said the ship was hit around 5 a.m. local time (0130 GMT). Anadolu Agency reported IRIB describing the strike as an attack by the “US terrorist enemy.” State-run IRNA, quoted by The Hill and the Associated Press, said the governor blamed a “terrorist enemy” and that authorities had not yet identified the projectile.

Casualty counts diverge across outlets citing Iranian sources. Anadolu Agency, IRIB via Anadolu, WANA, and RTÉ reported one dead and three injured. The Hill, citing IRNA, and CNN, citing IRIB, reported one dead and four wounded; AP and The Washington Post likewise carried four wounded. Insanity Developing notes the variance and is not choosing a single secondary figure as settled fact.

Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Sunday a vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified munition, with no immediate confirmation of casualties or damage in its first notice, Anadolu Agency reported. A later UKMTO update said a fire had broken out and local authorities were assisting in evacuating crew. WANA reported a Panama-flagged oil tanker struck by a missile and forced to stop, and described the Iranian commercial-vessel hit near Hengam as a separate overnight incident. It was not immediately clear from open reporting whether every UKMTO and Iranian account described the same ship.

The U.S. military had not claimed responsibility in early Sunday reporting. The Hill said it had reached out to U.S. Central Command for comment. Iranian claims of U.S. authorship remain unverified by independent outlets.

The strikes land amid a months-long U.S.–Iran fight over the chokepoint — who may pass, who may police it, and on what terms. Iranian and regional officials were due to meet in Oman on Monday to discuss managing Hormuz shipping; Tehran has pressed for recognition of its control and fee authority, which Washington rejects, according to reporting by RTÉ and AP. Contested rules at a global energy artery are the story’s power core — not a settled verdict on who fired Sunday morning.

Dated Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026: Iranian media say a commercial vessel was struck near Qeshm–Hengam with one dead; state outlets allege a U.S. attack without independent confirmation; UKMTO reports a Hormuz vessel hit by an unidentified munition, later citing fire and crew evacuation; injury totals of three vs. four remain unresolved across sources.

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