Incident Report
A tanker reported being struck by three unknown projectiles while completing an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Tuesday. The agency said the incident occurred 17 nautical miles (31 kilometres) east of the Omani city of Khasab, adding that no casualties or environmental impact were reported.
The UKMTO initially did not identify the vessel, its flag, or the nature of the projectiles. Maritime security companies later provided further details. Vanguard Tech identified the ship as the Liberia-flagged Senegal Prosperity, saying that rockets impacted the vessel's port side, engine room, and ballast tank, resulting in a loss of communications, though the crew were safe.
Two Vessels Struck
Maritime security consultant Marisks reported that two oil supertankers were struck by unknown projectiles in quick succession while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to Marisks, the very large crude carrier Sidr, run by Saudi Arabia's Bahri shipping company, was hit while sailing northeast of Khasab, Oman. The Senegal Prosperity, operated by Sinokor, was struck by three projectiles while traveling east of the same country. Both vessels were exiting the Persian Gulf, Marisks said.
Bahri and Sinokor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Regional Context
The incident occurs amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz following a renewed escalation between the United States and Iran. The Manila Times reported that Tehran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait since the United States and Israel launched their war in late February, saying it wants to charge fees for passage and has attacked ships it accuses of attempting to circumvent its preferred route. In response, the United States has imposed a rival blockade of Iranian ports.
Republic World reported that US forces recently struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, with Washington saying the systems were being prepared for operations that could threaten commercial shipping in the waterway. Iran subsequently launched retaliatory attacks against US military targets in the region.
According to The Manila Times, attacks on commercial ships in the strait, which was free to transit before the war, previously led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy shipping routes, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Oil prices rose on Tuesday amid renewed fears of supply disruptions linked to the conflict and reduced shipping activity through the strategic waterway, Republic World reported.
Official Remarks
In remarks reported by trade, President Donald Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz is in "extremely good shape," with a significant volume of oil flowing and approximately 30 ships transiting nightly with Navy assistance. He indicated that any strikes on Iran would be limited in scope, adding "we'll see what happens," and remarked that Iran does not know who its leader is.