Tanker Hit By Three Unknown Projectiles While Exiting Strait Of Hormuz: UK Maritime Agency

New Delhi: A tanker was struck by three unknown projectiles while completing its outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Tuesday, September 1.

The incident took place around 17 nautical miles (31 kilometres) east of Khasab, Oman, as the vessel was sailing out of the strategically important waterway. UKMTO said it received a report of the incident but did not identify the tanker, its flag or the nature of the projectiles.

No casualties or environmental impact have been reported following the incident, according to the British maritime security agency. Details regarding the extent of damage to the vessel, if any, were not immediately available.

UKMTO has advised vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to its operations centre. The latest incident remains under investigation.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz following a renewed escalation between the United States and Iran. 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.

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. The latest attack has renewed concerns over the safety of commercial vessels using the waterway at a time when maritime traffic has already been disrupted by the wider regional conflict.

The incident also follows other recent security alerts involving commercial vessels near Khasab and the wider approaches to the Strait. A separate tanker was previously reported to have been struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the area, although no casualties or environmental damage were reported in that incident either.

The latest strike is likely to further intensify concerns among shipping companies and energy markets over the security of the Strait. Oil prices rose on Tuesday amid renewed fears of supply disruptions linked to the conflict and reduced shipping activity through the strategic waterway.

No group has so far been publicly identified as responsible for the latest incident, and UKMTO has not attributed the attack to any country or organisation.

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