The key facts

  • UKMTO confirmed an unidentified projectile hit a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and reclassified the incident as an 'attack'; the crew, according to the agency, is safe
  • The Iranian army said two tankers caught fire after hitting mines in a restricted zone east of the strait, accusing the vessels of switching off radars and entering a closed area
  • The incidents come amid ongoing shipping disputes between the US and Iran, despite a memorandum signed in June

Attack on tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

The British agency UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile. In an updated warning, the agency said it had received confirmation of the impact and reclassified the incident as an 'attack'. According to UKMTO, the vessel's entire crew is, according to available reports, safe and unharmed.

What is known and what remains unclear

The warning did not name the vessel and contained no data on its flag, owner, the exact location of the incident, or the origin of the projectile. Thus, responsibility for the attack has not yet been established, and details of the damage to the vessel are not being disclosed.

Parallel reports from the Iranian army

UKMTO's report came shortly after the Iranian army stated that two oil tankers caught fire on Thursday after hitting sea mines in restricted waters east of the strait, as reported by the Iranian broadcaster IRIB. According to the army, the vessels entered the prohibited and unsafe zone despite warnings, having switched off their radar systems. Earlier, on Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that an oil tanker hit a sea mine and exploded after using a route not authorized by Tehran in the strait.

Context of tensions around shipping

The incidents come amid escalating maritime tensions in the strait following the American-Israeli offensive against Iran on February 28. Iranian authorities have repeatedly warned commercial vessels against using routes other than those designated by Tehran. Despite diplomatic efforts and a memorandum signed by Washington and Tehran in June, disputes over shipping and maritime security persist in this strategic corridor connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.