A Qatari LNG tanker attacked by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz is in danger of exploding due to a fire still burning in the engine room, according to a Reuters report. The report follows the IRGC missile strike overnight that damaged two commercial ships and set the tanker ablaze.
A Qatari LNG tanker struck by IRGC missiles in the Strait of Hormuz is now at risk of exploding, with a fire continuing to burn in its engine room, Reuters reported on Tuesday afternoon. The report comes hours after the IRGC missile attack on commercial shipping in the waterway that damaged two vessels and set the tanker ablaze, as The Zioneer first reported early Tuesday.
The Zioneer's initial coverage cited unverified reports of two civilian merchant ships hit by missiles overnight. Through the morning, corroboration sharpened: the UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a missile strike off Oman, the vessel was identified as the Qatari-owned LNG tanker Al-Rayyat with its engine room on fire, and the IRGC acknowledged striking both a Saudi and a Qatari tanker. By mid-morning, Iran's government formally took responsibility. The attack threatened the fragile U.S.-Iran maritime pause, as The Zioneer noted.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, has seen a series of IRGC naval operations in recent weeks, including warning shots and direct strikes on vessels, as The Zioneer has reported. The IRGC also threatened to re-close the strait unless it receives guarantees of sole control, according to a Wall Street Journal report cited by The Zioneer.
Details on the tanker's crew status and any potential environmental hazard remain unconfirmed.
16 developments
- StrongIranian state media claims gas tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz after ignoring warnings
- DevelopingKuwait condemns 'repeated Iranian attacks' on its territory
- StrongIran claims responsibility for attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, threatens to halt US talks
- StrongBahrain says Iran carried out attack on its territory, blames it for 'undermining peace efforts'
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