Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, according to Axios, citing two U.S. officials. The two commercial vessels sustained significant damage, though no casualties were reported.
Separately, Britain’s maritime security agency reported that a tanker caught fire early Tuesday after being struck by an unknown projectile east of Oman’s Limah. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) stated the tanker was hit on its port side while traveling southbound approximately 8 nautical miles east of Limah, which ignited a fire.
No casualties or environmental impact have been reported in connection with the tanker incident. Reuters has not independently verified the Axios report or confirmed if the ships mentioned in that report are the same as the tanker cited by UKMTO.
The incidents highlight the risks to maritime traffic in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption is transported.
These attacks on commercial vessels occur during a conflict that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. Reports emerged over the weekend that Iran's Revolutionary Guards had warned ships via maritime radio that "our missiles and drones are ready to fire at you," according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited a recording it obtained.
One of the vessels reportedly attacked was the liquefied natural gas tanker Al Rekayyat, managed by Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd. (Nakilat). The ship was allegedly hit on its port side near the engine room while in the Gulf of Oman, near the mouth of the strait. A recording quoted in The Wall Street Journal stated, "Engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage. All crew are safe and mustered on the starboard side."
Nakilat, QatarEnergy, and Qatar's International Media Office have not yet responded to requests for comment.
U.S. Central Command has not immediately responded to a request for comment.
Recent diplomatic efforts have seen indirect U.S.-Iran talks conclude without publicly announced progress toward a lasting peace. A 60-day ceasefire was intended to create space for diplomacy following the U.S. and Israeli strikes that initiated the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday that the United States would either reach a deal with Iran or "finish the job," reiterating his threat of military action. This statement followed the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amidst Tehran's displays of defiance. Investors have been closely monitoring negotiations between the U.S. and Iran concerning the security of shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside tracking the recovery of Gulf oil exports.