DUBAI — Two crude oil tankers were struck by unidentified projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the British maritime agency UKMTO said, in the latest threat to shipping in the vital energy corridor at the heart of the Middle East war.
FAKTA
- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said two oil tankers were struck by “unidentified projectiles” in the Strait of Hormuz region on Friday, October 2, 2026.
- The first vessel was struck while exiting the strait, causing a small fire and a blackout on board; the fire was extinguished and the vessel resumed its journey.
- Hours later, a second crude oil tanker reported being struck by an “unknown projectile” east of Oman; the crew remained safe with no environmental damage.
- UKMTO did not disclose the vessels’ flags, ownership or sailing schedules, and said authorities were investigating the incidents.
- A fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed through the Hormuz passage before US and Israeli strikes against Iran in late February triggered the Middle East war.
Two oil tankers struck in Strait of Hormuz waters within hours
The first attack caused “a small fire and blackout onboard,” UKMTO said, adding that the fire was later extinguished and there were no reported casualties or environmental impact. The vessel, which was exiting the strait, was able to resume its journey, the agency said, without specifying its ports of origin and destination.
Trade publication TradeWinds identified the first vessel as the 46,000-dwt Panamanian-flagged tanker Uhud, owned by Sharjah-headquartered Emirates Shipping.
Hours later, another crude oil tanker sailing east of Oman reported being struck by an unknown projectile. All crew remained safe and inspectors found no structural breaches or leakage into surrounding waters, according to UKMTO. Naval authorities in the region have launched an investigation into the origin of both strikes.
Hormuz at the heart of the US-Iran war
The Hormuz passage remains at the centre of the conflict that erupted after US and Israeli air operations against Iranian positions in late February. Tehran has been blocking the passage of commercial ships and firing on vessels it accuses of unauthorised crossings, while Washington has responded with a counterblockade of Iranian ports aimed at preventing Tehran from exporting its oil.
The strikes are the latest in a string of attacks on commercial shipping in and around the waterway, underscoring the persistent hazard facing merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf.
Follow further developments in this story on Watan News.
