Tanker Hit Off Oman, Engine Disabled

By Staff, Agencies

A tanker was struck by a projectile early Tuesday in waters about 17 kilometers from the Al-Shisha area north of Oman, disabling its engine room, according to Britain’s Maritime Trade Operations agency [UKMTO].

The incident marks the latest in a series of attacks on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf of Oman amid the US-“Israeli” war on Iran, which began on February 28.

Since the start of the war, Iran has effectively closed the strait to shipping, with daily vessel crossings falling to single digits from more than 130 before the aggression.

UKMTO has reported several similar incidents in recent months, including tankers and cargo ships struck by unidentified projectiles near Fujairah, alongside statements from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards [IRG] claiming responsibility for operations against vessels violating restrictions.

Meanwhile, despite Washington’s pledges to escort ships and claims that the waterway remains open, US efforts have failed to restore maritime traffic to pre-war levels.