A ship was hit by a projectile early Tuesday as it was sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations center.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but the attack highlights the ongoing danger of attempting to transit the waterway as Iran continues to throttle shipping traffic, even as it finalizes negotiations with Oman on a plan to manage the critical passage.
Here’s a look at the latest developments Monday in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.
An unidentified projectile damaged the engine room of a ship and “resulted in a crew casualty” early Tuesday morning as the vessel was trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, the UKMTO said, citing a report from the company's security office.
The maritime monitoring agency did not release any details about the ship or its cargo, and it was not clear whether the crew member was killed in the attack or wounded. It said the Omani Coast Guard was assisting other crew members and that authorities were investigating.
There has been growing concern about oil spilling into the Persian Gulf and other area waters from vessels damaged as they have attempted to transit the strait, but the UKMTO said no environmental damage had been reported in the latest attack.
Iran effectively closed the strait — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies passed before the war — after Israel and the U.S. attacked the country on Feb. 28.
The U.S. also is currently blockading all Iranian shipping traffic through the strait.
With negotiations between the U.S. and Iran stalled, Iran has been holding separate talks with Oman on a plan to manage ships transiting the strait, and said Monday it was in the process of finalizing details for a joint statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted angrily, reportedly threatening to Fox News reporter Trey Yingst in a telephone interview that the U.S. would bomb Oman if it “gets in the way.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a telephone call to continue to seek a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran.
The call between the two presidents came late Monday as the 60-day negotiating period to find a peace deal between the United States and Iran was expiring, with no word of an extension and both sides seemingly as far apart as they were at the start.
“President Erdogan said it is important to make maximum use of diplomacy amid tensions between Iran and the United States, expressed our hope that talks will continue, and noted that Turkey will keep supporting efforts toward peace,” according to a statement from the Turkish presidential communications office.
Erdogan also expressed concerns over intensified Israeli actions targeting Palestinians at a time when efforts are underway to move to the second phase of the Gaza agreement, the statement said.
Turkey, a NATO member that borders Iran, earlier this month signed a joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which stipulates “that any armed attack against any one of the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all.”
Trump praised the agreement, saying in a social media post that “it shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way.”
During their conversation, Erdogan told Trump the deal reflected “a strong stance to ensure regional stability and security.”
Dark oil residue covers parts of the shoreline at Shib Deraz Beach on Qeshm Island, Iran, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, amid ongoing wartime attacks on vessels and infrastructure in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though the spill’s source has not been independently determined. (Amirhosein Khorgooei/ISNA)
BELGRADE, Serbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 18, 2026--
Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global end-to-end IoT solutions provider, today announces the launch of two new Android 16 smart modules: the SH602FA, a high-performance 4G smart module, and the SE505FE, an entry-level 5G smart module. Designed for industrial and commercial IoT applications, the new modules combine Android 16, integrated wireless connectivity and powerful multimedia capabilities in compact form factors that simplify development and accelerate time-to-market.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260818272981/en/
By bringing Android 16 to both 4G and 5G IoT devices, Quectel enables developers to build smarter connected products with richer user interfaces, enhanced multimedia performance and seamless integration into modern smart building, retail and industrial environments.
Android 16 enables connected devices to communicate more intelligently with surrounding systems while reducing development complexity. For example, a vending machine can exchange data directly with a smart building's energy management platform without requiring extensive custom integration. A retail kiosk can display live operational updates, promotional content and transaction confirmations using Android's built-in interface capabilities rather than relying on separate display controllers. Wearables, industrial handhelds and in-vehicle systems also benefit from more responsive graphics, improved media performance and enhanced security features delivered through the operating system.
For device manufacturers, this means more functionality delivered at the platform level, reducing software development effort, minimizing hardware requirements and shortening product development cycles.
“With the SH602FA and SE505FE, we are making Android 16 available to IoT developers at both ends of the connectivity spectrum,” said Zeljko Maric, Product Development Manager, Quectel Wireless Solutions. “Whether customers are developing high-performance industrial terminals using 4G or introducing affordable 5G connectivity into new categories of smart devices, they now have access to Android 16 in globally certifiable, production-ready smart modules that reduce design complexity and accelerate deployment.”
SH602FA: Android 16 4G smart module for industrial IoT
The SH602FA is designed for developers requiring premium 4G performance without compromising on computing power or multimedia capability. Powered by the MediaTek MT8786 chipset featuring a 2× Cortex-A75 and 6× Cortex-A55 processor architecture alongside a G52 MC2 GPU, it delivers the performance required for graphics-intensive embedded applications without requiring an external host processor. Supporting cameras up to 64MP and 2K video at 30fps, the module suits handheld terminals, industrial inspection devices, smart intercoms, safety equipment and multimedia applications. It integrates LTE Cat 4, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1 and GNSS in a compact LCC form factor and supports a wide range of interfaces for rapid integration.
SE505FE: Android 16 5G smart module for next generation connected devices
The SE505FE makes Android-powered 5G connectivity accessible to a wider range of IoT applications. Built on the MediaTek MT8863T chipset with a 2× Cortex-A76 and 6× Cortex-A55 processor architecture and Mali-G57 GPU, it supports 5G Sub-6GHz and LTE Cat 4, together with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and GNSS. Typical applications include AR/VR devices, digital signage, smart gateways, tablets, industrial PDAs, robotics and intelligent video platforms.
Accelerating Android-based IoT innovation
Together, the SH602FA and SE505FE expand Quectel’s Android smart module portfolio, providing developers and OEMs with scalable options for both 4G and 5G IoT devices. By combining Android 16, integrated wireless connectivity, powerful multimedia processing and global certification support, the new modules help reduce engineering complexity, accelerate product development and enable faster deployment across industrial automation, retail, logistics, smart cities, healthcare and other connected applications.
About Quectel
Quectel’s passion for a smarter world drives us to accelerate IoT innovation. A highly customer-centric organization, we are a global end-to-end IoT solutions provider backed by outstanding support and services.
With a worldwide team of over 8,900 professionals, we lead the way in delivering end-to-end IoT solutions, spanning cellular, GNSS, satellite, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules, high-performance antennas, value-added services and full turnkey offerings including ODM services and system integration.
With regional offices and support across the globe, our international leadership is devoted to advancing IoT and helping build a smarter world.
For more information, please visit: www.quectel.com or LinkedIn
Quectel launches Android 16 smart modules for 4G and 5G IoT devices
