DUBAI (AP) -- A cargo ship operated by Iran was hijacked off the coast of Somalia on Tuesday in the latest strike by pirates from the war-torn African country, U.S. and Chinese officials said.

U.S. Navy Commander Jane Campbell of the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said the bulk cargo carrier was attacked in the Gulf of Aden. She said the ship was flying a Hong Kong flag but is operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines.
Chinese official news agency Xinhua, citing the country's maritime search and rescue center in Beijing, identified the ship as “Delight.” It said the vessel was carrying 36,000 tons of wheat and was headed for the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.
None of the 25 crew members was injured, said Hung, a marine officer with the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Center who did not give his first name. He said the crew are from Iran, the Philippines, India, Pakistan and Ghana.
It wasn't immediately clear where the ship had departed or the last time it had called in Hong Kong.
In Tehran, there was no confirmation of the hijacking and calls to the shipping agency were not immediately answered.
Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, or IRISL, operates 95 vessels, mostly cargo ships, according to its Web site. It is owned by the government of Iran.
Campbell said the ship is likely heading toward an anchorage site off the coast of Somalia.
Shipping registry provider Det Norske Veritas lists the owner of the 190-meter ship as Hong Kong-based Starry Shine International Ltd.
Campbell said the Navy has received reports that a fishing vessel was also attacked in the same vicinity Tuesday, but did not have further information on that incident.
Somali pirates have become increasingly brazen in recent months, drawing increased attention after snatching high-value cargo they hope to exchange for ransoms.
Over the weekend, bandits seized a Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million in crude far out to sea. The hijacked ship is now anchored off the Somali coast, as is another snatched vessel containing 33 Russian-built tanks.-