KATHMANDU: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy has said that a cargo ship has sunk after being hit by a sea tunnel explosion in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian side says this is the first time that a ship has been sunk after crashing into a sea tunnel during the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, maritime transport officials said two Singapore-registered cargo ships were hit by an unidentified object while crossing the strait on Tuesday and Wednesday. One of the ships sank and the other managed to reach safety.

According to Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority, all crew members on board the sunken vessel were safely evacuated. There were no reports of any human casualties in either incident, the authority said.

The authority described the attack as unprovoked, unjustified and a violation of international law. However, there was no clarity on whether the sunken ship registered in Singapore and the ship that Iran said crashed into the sea tunnel were the same. Iranian officials have not released details about the incident. According to a statement broadcast by Iran’s state television, the Revolutionary Guard said the plane crashed into a sea tunnel on Wednesday morning while traveling through what Iran calls an illegal and dangerous route.

Surveillance footage showed the plane tilting to one side in the water with thick smoke coming out of it. State television also reported that the ship was carrying 2,500 containers. However, the Associated Press news agency could not independently verify those scenes.

Iran has repeatedly warned ships not to attempt to cross the Strait of Hormuz without its permission. On the other hand, the US military is helping ships cross the strait through the route near the coast of Oman.

Houthi rebels attack Saudi Arabia’s Aramco headquarters

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Meanwhile, the headquarters of Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Arama was damaged by overnight attacks by the Houthi rebels, regional officials said.

According to officials, the attack damaged the offices used by the company’s CEO and other senior officials. The top three floors of the building were reportedly targeted. No human casualties were reported in the incident, they said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media officially.

Earlier on Wednesday, local residents said that explosions were also heard in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. After the incident, the Houthi rebels active in neighboring Yemen were blamed.

The recent developments highlight that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is posing additional challenges to maritime trade, energy infrastructure and regional security.