Adds details on tanker struck in paragraphs 2-3
Explosive projectiles hit two more ships near the strait of Hormuz today, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), bringing the total to three.
One tanker was struck 50 nautical miles (nm) north of Muscat, Oman, leading to a fire in the engine room that is now reportedly under control. The UKMTO advisory did not identify the vessel involved, consistent with its standard protocol, but shipbrokers and trade sources familiar with the charterer, along with vessel-tracking data, indicated the tanker was likely the MKD Vyom, a Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker, chartered by a Middle East oil major trading firm. The vessel was carrying a LR1 sized gasoline cargo from Europe for discharge in Saudi Arabia.
The tanker loaded gasoline in northwest Europe in early February before transiting southbound through the Suez Canal, with discharge expected at the Ras Tanura port, data from global trade analytics platform Kpler show. Satellite tracking data from Kpler also placed the vessel in the Gulf of Oman, near the co-ordinates referenced in the UKMTO advisory.
A second was hit 17nm northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, leading to a fire that was subsequently extinguished.
This was in addition to a strike on a Palau-flagged chemicals and oil products tanker earlier on Sunday.
One additional vessel that was 35nm west of Sharjah, UAE, reported a projectile explosion nearby that had no impact.
Risks to commercial shipping are mounting as the US-Israel-Iran conflict spreads across the Mideast Gulf. Many ships appear to be pooling east of the strait, shiptracking data show, until the situation is further clarified.
Within the Mideast Gulf, operations at most ports are continuing as normal, according to port agent GAC. Jebel Ali, which is close to the strait of Hormuz, has suspended all operations but ports further west in the Mideast Gulf have not closed.
Operations are running as normal at Basrah, Khor Al Zubair and Umm Qasr in Iraq, as well as Ras Laggan and Mesaieed in Qatar. All Saudi Arabian ports are also running as normal.
But the port agent highlighted that Ras Laffan port is reporting "significant GPS signal degradation" in the region, which can hamper tankers' ability to navigate. This disruption to the Automatic Identification System (AIS) — the GPS system used by shipping — also suffered problems during previous conflicts in the region, including in June 2025.
The situation in the region remains fluid and as insurers and some shipowners step back from operating, considering further disruptions likely.
