ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least two tankers have been struck in the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday, adding that a third vessel avoided being hit after complying with instructions from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The British navy monitor said it received “a time-late report of an incident within the Strait of Hormuz” in which a “verified source” reported that “a crude oil tanker has been struck by unknown projectiles,” adding that “authorities are investigating.”
In a second statement published minutes later, UKMTO said it had received another delayed report, citing a “verified source” as saying that a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker “transiting inbound has been struck by an unknown projectile.”
“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the agency said.
A third incident was also recorded 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, in Oman’s northern Musandam governorate, UKMTO relayed, detailing that “a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz inbound was hailed by the IRGC and instructed to turn back or the vessel would be targeted.”
“The Master of the tanker has confirmed that they have complied with the instruction,” the monitor said.
The latest incidents come days after at least two other tankers were hit in regional waters on Thursday, according to UKMTO.
In its weekly Voluntary Reporting Area overview, published that day, the monitor said vessels continue to be targeted along the southern route near Oman and that ongoing military activity is keeping the risk to shipping elevated. Of the 48 projectile strikes reported to the agency since early July, 31 occurred along the southern Omani route, and 25 involved damage to engine rooms, the overview added.
