A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, identified as the Al Rekayyat and operated by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Limited, was hit by an unknown projectile on July 7 off the coast of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz. The strike occurred on the port side of the vessel, approximately eight nautical miles east of Limah, while it was traveling southbound and fully loaded, causing a fire in the engine room and filling the ship with smoke. All crew members were reported safe, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or environmental damage.
US officials and open-source intelligence platforms attributed the attack to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, stating that at least two missiles were fired at commercial ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The incident followed warnings issued by Iran's Revolutionary Guards to ships over the weekend via maritime radio, stating that "our missiles and drones are ready to fire at you." This attack comes amidst a period of heightened security concerns in the vital Strait of Hormuz, a key choke point for a significant portion of the world's oil and LNG exports.
The vessel was reportedly transiting within internationally recognized Oman-IMO transit lanes rather than routes designated by Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). Iran has previously indicated that only vessels using its designated routes are guaranteed safe passage. The incident has revived fears over shipping safety through the critical energy chokepoint and is likely to lead to increased war-risk premiums for vessels in the area, potentially affecting global energy markets despite a recent ceasefire between the US and Iran and ongoing peace talks.
