Tanker Struck by Three Projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz
Key Takeaways
- •An unidentified tanker was hit by three projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz about 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman, at roughly 20:00 UTC on Monday, with no casualties or pollution reported.
- •The strike follows another tanker attack near Khasab on August 29, when an inbound vessel was hit by an unknown projectile.
- •UKMTO reported a separate Monday incident involving a tanker and unidentified military forces east of Oman in the Indian Ocean, with few details released.
- •The attacks coincide with renewed US-Iran fighting, including US strikes on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island and Iranian missile attacks on US forces in Jordan.
- •The Strait of Hormuz carries about a fifth of globally traded oil, and heightened tension there has historically driven up war-risk insurance premiums.
A tanker was hit by three unidentified projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani side of the waterway, marking the latest attack on commercial shipping amid renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran.
UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the incident occurred at approximately 20:00 UTC on Monday, roughly 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman. The vessel was completing an outbound transit when it was struck. No casualties or pollution have been reported, and the tanker has not been identified.
The attack follows another tanker strike near Khasab on August 29, when an inbound vessel was hit by an unknown projectile around 12 nautical miles north of the Omani port.
UKMTO also reported a separate incident on Monday involving a tanker and unidentified military forces farther east of Oman in the Indian Ocean. Few details have been released about that encounter.
The latest incidents come as fighting between Washington and Tehran resumes after more than a month of relative calm. US forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island over the weekend, after US Central Command said Tehran was preparing rockets carrying sea mines for deployment in Hormuz.
Iran responded with missile attacks against US forces in Jordan, while reports also pointed to anti-ship cruise missile launches towards the strait.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical chokepoints for seaborne trade, with roughly a fifth of globally traded oil and substantial volumes of liquefied natural gas passing through it, so repeated strikes on vessels there carry significance well beyond the immediate incidents. War-risk insurance premiums for ships calling at regional ports have historically risen during periods of heightened tension in the Gulf, adding to the cost of moving cargoes through the waterway.
Washington has meanwhile claimed its forces have cleared internationally recognised shipping lanes through Hormuz of mines, although maritime security officials continue to warn of drifting and uncharted devices.
Source: Splash247
