An oil tanker was struck by an “unknown projectile” off the coast of Oman, sustaining damage to its engine room, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The agency said the vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile that caused damage to the engine room. No injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred approximately 12.5 nautical miles off the Omani coast near Lima.
Iran has effectively kept the Strait of Hormuz closed since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war against the country on February 28. Although the strategic waterway briefly reopened following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United States aimed at ending the conflict, Tehran reimposed restrictions on maritime traffic after hostilities resumed on July 7.
Iran insists that vessels transit through a shipping lane adjacent to its coastline and has threatened to target ships attempting to use an alternative route along Oman’s coast.
In recent weeks, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has intercepted and halted several vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Tehran now exercises full control over the vital shipping route.
On Friday, the IRGC announced that it had targeted two oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz with what it described as “air support” from the U.S. military.
In a statement, the IRGC said the “two violating oil tankers were targeted and stopped, while four other oil tankers quickly altered course and turned back,” without providing further details.
Meanwhile, maritime intelligence platform Kpler reported on Friday that shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had declined sharply.
In a post on X, Kpler said that “as differences between the United States and Iran persist, operators are closely monitoring shipping volumes, rerouting patterns, and any diplomatic developments that could reshape risks along regional shipping lanes in the coming days.”
Source: (AFP)
