ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – An Iranian commercial vessel was struck on Sunday off the coast of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, killing one person and injuring three others, the Iranian state broadcaster reported, coming amid rising military escalations in the region.

“A commercial vessel was struck around 5:00 am today in the waters between Hengam Island and the Shib-Deraz coast of Qeshm Island,” IRIB reported, citing the island’s governor Amir Teimouri.

One person was killed as a result of the incident, and three were injured, according to the governor.

While the source of the attack and the perpetrating party were not explicitly identified, Iranian state media accused the “terrorist enemy” of carrying out the offensive.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a vessel was struck by an “unknown projectile” while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, adding that “a fire has broken out onboard the vessel following the reported attack,” while authorities assisted crew members in evacuating.

The incident comes amid a series of attacks targeting oil and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz following an escalation in military confrontations between Iran and the United States earlier in September.

On Wednesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck "two American vessels and eight oil tankers," and announced separate strikes on US forces in Jordan, in retaliation for US attacks on Iranian ships.

Hostilities between the US and Iran flared when US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it was hitting IRGC targets in Iran following its alleged attempts to attack commercial ships.

Iran has shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil is transported, as part of its war against the US and Israel, contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices. The US has responded by imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Control of the waterway has been a salient issue in the conflict, with Tehran having made clear its intention to end free transit and establish a tolling or fee-paying mechanism despite vehement US objections.