Third tanker hit in 24 hours in Strait of Hormuz; drone strike raises fresh shipping fears

Third tanker targeted

In a post on X on Tuesday, UKMTO said the latest vessel was hit by an unidentified uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), causing minor structural damage.

"UKMTO has received a report of a further incident involving a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker was struck by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and has sustained minor structural damage. No casualties or environmental impact reported, and vessel is continuing to its next port of call," the agency said.

No injuries were reported, and the tanker remains operational despite the damage.

Two earlier attacks

The latest incident follows two other tanker attacks reported over the past 24 hours as vessels navigated the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf.

One of the tankers caught fire after being struck while sailing off the coast of Oman, raising fears of a wider escalation that could threaten commercial shipping through the vital maritime corridor.

Iran claims tanker ignored warnings

Iranian state television reported that the vessel carrying liquefied natural gas was attacked after allegedly ignoring warnings issued by Iranian authorities.

However, the broadcaster stopped short of directly claiming responsibility for the assault or identifying those behind the strike.

The series of attacks has intensified concerns over the safety of international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical choke point through which a significant share of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passes each day.