London, UK – The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile, resulting in damage to its engine room. The agency confirmed in a statement that no injuries were reported as a result of the incident, which occurred approximately 12.5 nautical miles off the coast of Lima, Oman.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian threats to alternative routes
This incident comes amid rapidly evolving developments on the ground. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the military confrontations, and although it was briefly reopened, Tehran has again restricted maritime traffic as hostilities resumed. Iran insists that ships must pass through a route parallel to its coast, threatening to target any vessel attempting to use an alternative route along the coast of Oman. In this context, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has attacked and stopped several ships attempting to transit the strait, asserting in recent days its complete control over it.
Two tankers targeted and maritime traffic sharply declined
Targeting Operations: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced on Friday that it had targeted two tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with air support from the US military. It added that the two offending tankers were stopped, while four others quickly changed course and turned back, without providing further details. The maritime tracking website Kepler indicated that shipping traffic through the strait had decreased sharply. The site explained on its X platform that operators are closely monitoring shipping volumes and route changes as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high, anticipating any diplomatic developments that could reshape risks along regional shipping lanes in the coming days.
