Panamanian-Flagged Tanker Ablaze After Attack in the Strait of Hormuz

A Panamanian-flagged tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile 9 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, within the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz. The master of another vessel transiting the area reported seeing the ship ablaze and mostly submerged. The condition of the crew remains unknown at this time.

The incident was reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and by maritime security firm Vanguard Tech, which placed the attack at 03:00 UTC on October 29. According to Vanguard, another vessel was observed near the stricken ship, possibly rendering assistance. Trade news reported that this was the second confirmed attack on a vessel that same Thursday.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that three tankers exploded and caught fire within a 24-hour span after accidentally striking sea mines, after those vessels had switched off their transponders and used an unauthorized southern route to cross the Strait. It remains unclear whether the vessel ablaze off Oman is one of those cited by Iranian authorities or a separate ship. Tehran also warned vessels not to use that southern route near the Omani coast or accept U.S. assistance, under threat of being targeted by the IRGC.

The UKMTO report comes amid a sharp rise in Iranian attacks on shipping: the International Maritime Organization recorded 34 confirmed attacks on vessels between September 28 and October 27, most of them in the Strait of Hormuz, though Iran has also struck vessels across the wider region in recent weeks. Maritime intelligence provider Kpler reported that crude oil flows through the Strait declined further last week, while the Washington Institute for Near East Policy noted that attacks on vessels are at their highest level since the war began in February, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Tensions in the Gulf are also reflected in naval confrontations: Iranian media claimed that their armed forces shot down a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone east of the Strait using an upgraded defense system, though Washington has not responded to that account. The U.S. Navy has stepped up efforts to ensure the safety of shipping, and the White House is reportedly preparing a new military offensive, with a third carrier strike group and thousands of troops standing by for a possible extended deployment to the Middle East following the midterm elections.