Mumbai, June 28 -- A day after three vessels - including an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker - crossed the Strait of Hormuz, the Indian-flagged bulk carrier APJ Priti 2 transited it on Saturday via the Iran route, according to an Indian government status report. The vessel was carrying 65,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser cargo and held serial number 9 on the shipping directorate's earlier evacuation priority list.

The transit came hours after a tanker carrying Qatari oil was struck within the strait - the second attack on a merchant ship this week - prompting naval authorities to raise the regional threat level to "substantial."

The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said the vessel sustained bridge damage from an unidentified projectile...