A Qatari LNG tanker hit by Iranian missiles in the Strait of Hormuz could explode after a fire broke out in its engine room, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
The Qatari tanker Al Rekayat and a Saudi oil tanker were struck overnight by missiles fired by Iran at vessels passing through the strait. One source who spoke to Reuters said Al Rekayat was carrying liquefied natural gas and sent distress signals requesting assistance after being hit on its port side.
The Strait of Hormuz
(Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
The latest incident underscored that shipping near Hormuz remains dangerous despite understandings reached between the United States and Iran aimed at restoring safe passage through the strategic waterway. Since the memorandum of understanding was reached, at least four commercial ships have been attacked or damaged, including the two vessels hit overnight.
The Qatari tanker was struck near the coast of Oman as it was leaving the Strait of Hormuz. Axios reported that Iran had resumed hostile activity in the strait and fired at least two missiles at commercial ships, according to U.S. officials. The report said the attack threatened the understandings reached less than three weeks earlier, under which Iran had committed to halt such attacks in the area.
According to Axios, the United States may respond to the attacks by striking Iranian targets. A separate report in the New York Post, citing Axios and British maritime authorities, said two ships sustained significant damage but no casualties were reported. It also identified one of the vessels believed to have been hit as the Qatari-owned LNG tanker Al Rekayyat, struck near the mouth of the strait on the port side close to its engine room.
Britain’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations later said it had received a report of another incident involving a tanker that had crossed Hormuz. According to the report, the tanker was hit by an unidentified object and may have sustained damage. No casualties were reported.
The overnight fire came after talks between the sides in Qatar last week, which are not known to have produced significant progress toward a final and permanent agreement. After those talks, U.S. President Donald Trump sounded optimistic, saying Iran’s nuclear dismantlement was “going very well,” adding: “There were very good meetings, and we’ll see.”
The talks have been frozen in recent days after Washington agreed to pause the contacts while Iran holds funeral events for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Crowds have gathered for rallies and marches in Tehran and other cities, calling for revenge against the United States and Israel.