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A commercial tanker reported being struck by what was described as either a drone or missile near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, marking the latest attack on merchant shipping as U.S. forces carried out a tenth consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets.
According to Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) tanker Kaifan (IMO: 9656046) broadcast a distress call on VHF Channel 16 stating that the vessel had been struck by a drone or missile, causing a fire in its engine room.
The report follows an earlier attack Monday in which the Malta-flagged tanker Kavomaleas, managed by Greece's Dynacom Tankers, was abandoned after being hit by two projectiles off the coast of Oman.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued a new advisory for the latest incident, though authorities have not yet released additional details on the extent of the damage or the condition of the crew.
The latest attack comes as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced it had completed another round of strikes against Iranian military targets.
According to CENTCOM, the operation concluded at 9 p.m. ET on July 20 and targeted Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems.
"The strikes were conducted to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said.
The military said commercial shipping continues to move through the waterway despite the ongoing conflict. Since early May, CENTCOM said its forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels carrying about 450 million barrels of crude oil.
"American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait," the command said.
The incident is the second reported attack on a tanker on Monday.
Earlier in the day, UKMTO confirmed that a merchant vessel was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman, along the U.S.-coordinated southern transit route adjacent to Oman's coastline.
That vessel, believed to be the Kavomaleas, caught fire after being struck by two projectiles, according to its operator, Dynacom Tankers. After activating the vessel's firefighting systems, the master ordered the crew to abandon ship. All crew members were rescued by Omani authorities, while the vessel remained adrift with the fire still burning.
The latest incidents underscore the deteriorating security situation around the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial vessels have come under repeated attack as fighting between the United States and Iran has intensified. The attacks come despite ongoing U.S. military operations aimed at reducing Iran's ability to target merchant shipping through one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.
