Iran struck a tanker yesterday, according to The Zioneer Intelligence Desk. No further details were provided.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported early Friday that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, causing a fire. The crew was reported safe. The incident marks the fifth commercial tanker targeted in the strategic waterway in four days.
The series of attacks began Tuesday, when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck three vessels. Shipping intelligence firm Marisks reported that three Liberian-flagged tankers — Al-Ruways, Mersin Prosperity, and Sinbad — were hit by unidentified projectiles on Tuesday. On Wednesday, an Iranian report stated that the IRGC Navy had struck three vessels since Tuesday night, including two oil tankers and an LNG carrier. On Thursday, a separate tanker was struck by an unidentified charge, also causing a fire.
The attacks come amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. As The Zioneer has previously reported, Iran struck a tanker in the Omani shipping lane in August, and the US responded with retaliatory strikes. The current flurry of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz appears to target vessels conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers that bypass the Iranian blockade of the strait.
The origin of the projectile in the latest strike remains unconfirmed. While Iranian sources have claimed responsibility for earlier attacks, independent verification is pending, and the extent of damage is still being assessed.
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