Strait of Hormuz threat level raised to 'Severe' after three tanker attacks

A third commercial tanker has come under attack near the Strait of Hormuz, with UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reporting Tuesday that a vessel was struck by an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), the latest in a string of attacks that has prompted the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) to raise its security assessment for the waterway to "Severe."

The coalition-backed maritime security organization warned that deliberate hostile action is now considered likely in the Strait of Hormuz following three confirmed attacks on tankers over the past 24 hours.

According to UKMTO, the latest incident involved a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz that "was struck by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV)" and sustained minor structural damage. No casualties or pollution were reported, and the vessel is continuing to its next port of call.

The incident follows two separate attacks reported over the previous 24 hours. All three attacks appear to have taken place near the U.S.-coordinated southern route along Oman's coastline.

On Monday night, UKMTO said a tanker sailing southbound about 8 nautical miles east of Limah, Oman, was hit on its port side by an unidentified projectile, sparking a fire. No injuries or environmental damage were reported.

Early Tuesday, UKMTO issued another alert after receiving a report that a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by another unidentified projectile, causing structural damage but no casualties.

In an updated regional advisory issued Tuesday, JMIC said the three attacks prompted it to raise the Strait of Hormuz threat level from "Substantial" to "Severe," warning that "deliberate hostile action" against commercial shipping is now considered likely.

The center said Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacks, vessel hailing, UAV activity and targeted surveillance have continued across the area, while reports of drifting mines and persistent GPS interference remain additional hazards for ships transiting the waterway.

Despite the heightened threat environment, JMIC said commercial traffic has continued through both the southern Omani corridor and the northern Iranian-controlled route, although it expects transit volumes to decline in the coming days following the latest attacks.

Reuters, citing multiple maritime security and industry sources, identified the first two vessels as the Qatari LNG carrier Al Rekayyat and the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker Wedyan.

According to the report, Al Rekayyat, owned and managed by Nakilat, was struck on its port side, igniting a fire in the engine room and prompting distress calls from the crew.

"Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat… We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room," the vessel's captain said in a recorded radio transmission reviewed by Reuters.

The crew was reported safe and evacuated, although one source said there were concerns the LNG carrier was at risk of exploding because of the engine room fire.

The Wedyan, a supertanker owned by Saudi shipping company Bahri, was also damaged off the coast of Oman, although the cause was initially unclear.

A U.S. official told Reuters that preliminary indications suggested Iran had fired on the two commercial vessels. There has been no claim of responsibility, and Tehran has not commented on the allegations.

Reuters also reported that in a separate incident Tuesday, Iranian forces ordered a Liberia-flagged LPG tanker believed to be Al Maryah to alter course and proceed closer to Iran's coastline after it attempted to transit via Omani waters.

The latest attacks come just weeks after Washington and Tehran reached an interim agreement intended to restore safe commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz following months of conflict. While vessel traffic has gradually recovered in recent days, transit volumes remain well below pre-conflict levels, and security concerns continue to weigh on operators.

UKMTO said investigations into all three incidents are ongoing and advised vessels transiting the region to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.