Another oil tanker was blasted by a mystery projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the vessel ablaze as Iran tightens its grip on one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued a warning Thursday after local authorities reported that the tanker had been struck near Oman. The attack itself was reported Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. UTC.
“Local authorities have reported a tanker has been hit by an unknown projectile causing fire to the vessel which has since been extinguished,” the organization wrote in its warning.
“All crew are reported as safe and accounted for and there has been no report of environmental impact,” the warning continued.
No country or military group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The identity of the vessel was not disclosed, and officials did not reveal what type of projectile struck it.
“Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the message concluded.
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The strike was the second reported attack on a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz this week. Another vessel was disabled Monday after a projectile tore into its engine room near the Omani coast. No casualties were reported in that attack.
The latest explosion came as Iran and Oman pushed an interim agreement to jointly manage traffic through the strategic waterway, which has become a central battleground in the six-month war between the United States and Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the proposed arrangement would send inbound vessels through Iranian waters while outbound ships could use Iranian and Omani territory. Tehran also claimed the two countries would share revenue generated under the plan.
The Trump administration has rejected any Iranian attempt to impose passage fees on commercial vessels, maintaining that the international waterway must remain open without Tehran collecting what would effectively amount to a toll.
The proposed agreement also calls for Iran and Oman to cooperate in removing underwater mines. U.S. officials said this week that American forces had already cleared mines from the Strait of Hormuz traffic separation system after underwater drones located more than 100 suspected explosives.
Iran has continued trying to assert control over the strait even as President Donald Trump warns Tehran against interfering with commercial traffic.
The regime recently blacklisted 45 tankers for allegedly violating its transit rules, threatening the vessels with fines, detention or even confiscation of their cargoes. Tehran has not publicly explained what rules the ships supposedly broke.
