An oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while sailing off the coast of the Sultanate of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz region, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced. Meanwhile, Axios quoted a US official stating that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired two missiles at two commercial ships transiting the strait.
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The UKMTO stated in a report that the oil tanker reported its port side was struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire on board while it was sailing southbound. It confirmed that the incident resulted in no casualties among the crew and caused no environmental pollution.
Axios quoted US officials stating that the Iranian military fired at least two missiles on Monday evening toward two commercial ships as they transited the Strait of Hormuz. They noted that one of the two ships was hit by an Iranian projectile, and both vessels sustained severe damage without any human casualties being recorded.
The website added that the attack came after the expiration of a week-long agreement between the United States and Iran to halt attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the resumption of Iranian attacks could threaten the collapse of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two parties less than three weeks ago.
According to Axios, US officials believe it is likely that the United States will respond with strikes targeting Iranian sites.
The website also pointed out that the round of indirect talks between the United States and Iran, held in Doha last week, ended with little progress made regarding the maritime security file in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the UKMTO, the attack occurred approximately 8 nautical miles east of the city of Lima in the Sultanate of Oman.
Commercial vessels have been heavily affected by the war in the Middle East since March 1st, when Iran closed this vital waterway in response to US-Israeli strikes on its territory, while the United States, for its part, imposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
Maritime traffic resumed following the signing of a framework agreement between Washington and Tehran on June 17 to end the war. However, Iran reiterates—despite US opposition—that there will be no return to the status quo that existed before the conflict when transit through the strait was free, and it threatens ships that might attempt to evade or bypass the single route it has permitted, which runs along its coasts.
At the end of June, Washington accused Tehran of targeting two ships and bombed the country in retaliation, to which Iran responded by targeting its Gulf neighbors, Kuwait and Bahrain. Following that, Iran and the United States agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities.
The Strait of Hormuz is the main waterway connecting the oil-rich countries of the Middle East to the rest of the world, particularly Asian markets.
In 2024, approximately 20 million barrels of crude oil passed through it daily, which is equivalent to nearly 20% of global liquid petroleum consumption, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Al Mamlaka + AFP
