An oil tanker traveling southbound caught fire early Tuesday morning after being struck by an unidentified weapon off the coast of Oman. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the vessel was hit on its port side near Limah. No crew casualties or environmental damage were reported following the sudden Strait of Hormuz attack, which has reignited fears over global energy shipping security.
Iranian state television later implied that Tehran’s forces carried out the Strait of Hormuz attack after the vessel allegedly ignored maritime warnings. The incident comes immediately after the expiration of a brief pause in hostilities observed during state funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader. U.S. officials also reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships on Monday night.
The escalation threatens the fragile memorandum of understanding signed last month between Washington and Tehran to reopen the vital waterway. Iran continues to insist that all commercial traffic follow restricted coastal corridors, a position that international shipping consortiums reject. Authorities are investigating the strike while advising regional vessels to exercise extreme caution.
