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The Marshall Islands-flagged container ship Qingdao Star (4,253 TEU) was struck by an IRGC Qadir cruise missile approximately 25 nautical miles south of Kish Island, Iran, on April 7, in an attack that occurred within hours of ceasefire negotiations concluding.
The vessel sustained hull damage above the waterline. No fire broke out and Qingdao Star was able to proceed under its own propulsion to its next port of call for inspection. All crew were confirmed safe. No environmental impact was reported.
The IRGC claimed the vessel was "an Israeli ship," citing a prior time-charter relationship with Israeli carrier ZIM. That charter arrangement ended in October 2023, more than two years before the strike. No current operational link between Qingdao Star and ZIM has been established.
The Qadir is an Iranian-developed anti-ship cruise missile with a reported range of approximately 300 kilometres, designed for maritime strike operations in the Persian Gulf.
Authorities are investigating.
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