Two Oil Tankers Hit by Unknown Projectiles in Strait of Hormuz, UK Says

Two oil tankers were struck by unidentified projectiles in separate incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, deepening security concerns along the vital Gulf energy corridor amid the wider US–Iran conflict.

UKMTO said it received a report from the master of a tanker that was hit by an unknown projectile while conducting an outbound transit of the strait. The strike resulted in a small fire and a blackout on board. The fire was later extinguished and the vessel continued underway. There were no reported casualties or environmental impact, the agency said in warning 148-26 dated 2 October 2026.

Second strike east of Oman

Hours later, UKMTO issued a further attack warning after the master of a crude oil tanker reported being struck by an unknown projectile on the port side about four nautical miles east of Oman. All crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was reported at the time, according to warning 149-26. Authorities were investigating both incidents, UKMTO said, advising vessels to transit with caution and report suspicious activity.

Al Jazeera’s Iran war live blog on Saturday highlighted the twin reports, noting that “unidentified projectiles” had struck two oil tankers in separate Hormuz incidents according to UKMTO. WION, citing the same agency notices, said the first vessel resumed its journey after the fire was put out and that investigators were examining both cases. UKMTO did not name the vessels or identify who fired the projectiles.

Hormuz remains a flashpoint

The strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed before US and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February, remains central to the conflict. Tehran has sought to disrupt commercial shipping it accuses of unauthorised crossings, while Washington has enforced a counterblockade of Iranian ports aimed at choking Tehran’s oil exports. The United States has not announced new strikes on Iranian targets since early September, even as ships continue to be targeted in the waterway, according to regional reporting.

Maritime security trackers said the latest pair of reports form part of a broader wave of shipping incidents linked to the war. World Ports Organisation, citing UKMTO and industry consultants, reported that six ships had been struck in about a week and that cumulative conflict-related maritime incidents had risen sharply. One earlier strike in the same period involved the Kuwait Oil Tanker Co. vessel Kazimah III, which Iranian media said was burning off Oman; UKMTO and secondary reports said crews in the latest Friday incidents were unhurt.

What happens next

Investigations by maritime authorities continue, and shipping firms have been urged to follow UKMTO guidance while navigating the southern channel near Oman. Any lasting easing of risk would likely depend on progress in stalled talks over reopening Hormuz and de-escalating the eight-month US–Iran war — talks that both sides have said remain open even as military preparations continue on shore and at sea.