Milan, May 4 (LaPresse) – The British army reports that at least two ships have been hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. One vessel was reportedly attacked by several small boats, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMT), while another ship was struck by "unidentified projectiles". These are the latest in at least around twenty attacks that have taken place in the strait and surrounding areas since the beginning of the war with Iran, and a warning of the risks involved if the new US offensive were to continue. No injuries have been reported. The first ship was an unidentified merchant vessel traveling north near Sirik, in Iran, east of the strait, according to the British monitoring center. Iranian authorities said they control the strait and that ships not affiliated with the United States or Israel can pass through it by paying a toll, challenging the freedom of navigation guaranteed by international law. Iran denied the attack, according to semi-official Iranian outlets Fars and Tabnak, stating that a passing vessel had been stopped for a document check as part of monitoring activities. The second ship was an oil tanker that reported being hit at around 11:40 pm on Sunday, off Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates.

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