Projectile strike on tanker tests fragile Hormuz recovery
A ship hit off Oman as the UK and France prepare a bigger naval role in the strait
A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile late on Monday while transiting just east of the Strait of Hormuz, testing a fragile recovery in shipping through the waterway. UK Maritime Trade Operations said the master reported the ship was hit on its port side about eight nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, while heading south; the impact sparked an onboard fire, but no casualties or pollution were reported.
The strike appears to have happened on or near the US-coordinated southern transit corridor off Oman, the main route for much commercial traffic since last month's ceasefire, which was widened after mine hazards made the traditional separation scheme unsafe. The Joint Maritime Information Center said the security threat level in the strait remains "substantial" and urged vessels to keep AIS and navigation lights on with radars and normal communications running.
The attack came as traffic had been gradually returning to Hormuz following the US-Iran ceasefire, though volumes remain well below normal. US officials, cited by the Wall Street Journal, accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard of firing missiles at two commercial ships, including the Qatari LNG carrier Al Rekayyat, which reportedly suffered an engine room fire without casualties; Iran made no claim of responsibility.
Britain and France are preparing to step up their naval presence, saying Oman had agreed to work with them to keep its territorial waters safe and that both stand ready to deploy a wider multinational mission. Separately, consultancy Brookes Bell warned that bulkers carrying sulphur cargoes face serious corrosion risk after prolonged anchorage delays, with some vessels held more than 60 days.
