Two tankers were hit by unidentified projectiles off Oman and Iraq on Oct. 20 and 21, 2026; one caught fire, but the fire was put out, and both crews were reported safe.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the Oman incident happened about 11 nautical miles west of Bukha at 1:45 a.m. UTC on Oct. 21. The tanker dropped anchor after the fire was put out, UKMTO said. Seatrade Maritime identified the vessel as the Kuwaiti-flagged Al Dasma.
It said the crew were safe. The Iraq incident was reported about 30 nautical miles southeast of Al Faw. UKMTO said it happened at 6:30 p.m. UTC on Oct. 20.
The vessel’s master reported the strike in a delayed notification, UKMTO said. Iraq Business News reported that the crew were safe. It said no damage to the vessel or environmental impact had been reported.
Seatrade identified the ship as Soyia. UKMTO did not say where the projectiles came from or name anyone responsible. It advised ships in the area to proceed cautiously while authorities investigate.
The International Maritime Organization’s tally listed 119 confirmed incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East as of Oct. 21. The tally underscored the wider risks facing commercial shipping in the region.