A mine strikes a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a projectile hits another near Saudi Arabia
- 2026-10-17
- 12:57:59
Two separate maritime incidents occurred in the Arabian Gulf, one near the Saudi coast and the other in the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing military tensions and threats to shipping and energy supplies in the region.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced on Saturday that a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile on Friday, 68 nautical miles northeast of the Saudi city of Jubail.
UKMTO stated that all crew members were safe and had been evacuated, adding that there were no reports of any environmental impact.
UKMTO did not specify the source of the projectile or who was responsible for launching it.
A sea mine
In a separate incident, Iranian media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that a giant oil tanker struck a sea mine in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in an explosion and a fire on board.
Reports indicated that the tanker was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed the tanker attempted to cross the strait without authorization, aided by the US military and using what it called “deceptive” maneuvers, asserting that the waterway remained closed.
The Iranian account could not be independently verified, and the extent of the damage from the explosion and the fate of the crew members remained unclear.
There was no immediate comment from US Central Command or the UK Maritime Trade Operations regarding the incident reported by Iran.
These incidents come amid escalating risks to shipping in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes.