Unknown projectiles hit tanker during Hormuz Strait transit: UKMTO
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A tanker was struck by three unknown projectiles near Oman during an outbound Strait of Hormuz transit as shipping traffic remains sharply reduced.
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Tankers and cargo vessels are seen in the Gulf of Oman, along shipping routes linking the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, Tuesday, June 16, 2026 (AP)
A tanker was struck by three unknown projectiles while completing an outbound transit of the Strait of Hormuz, roughly 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
No casualties or environmental impact have been reported. Authorities are investigating the incident, while UKMTO has advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.
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The incident follows an earlier Press TV report that the Saudi supertanker Sedr was stopped while crossing the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz and had its automatic identification system activated.
Strait of Hormuz traffic remains sharply reduced
Ship-tracking data cited by Reuters shows that four vessels entered the Strait of Hormuz on Monday while only one exited, with total crossings holding steady at around five.
The number of transits remains well below the roughly 14-vessel average recorded over the previous 10 days, highlighting the continued disruption to commercial shipping through the strategic waterway.
Traffic through the strait has remained a fraction of pre-war levels since Iran effectively took control of the waterway on February 28. Most crossings are now routed through Iranian-vetted channels near Larak Island, reserved largely for vessels from friendly states such as China, India, Pakistan, and Russia.
Western-linked shipping has continued to be blocked from the route almost entirely.
Shipping figures challenge US claims over the waterway
The depressed number of transits undercuts recent US and CENTCOM claims of having restored control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Attacks on shipping have persisted despite US claims, with tankers struck by unidentified projectiles off Oman's coast on both August 25 and August 31. The latter incident disabled parts of the vessel during an outbound transit.
Iranian officials have dismissed claims that the waterway is under US control as an attempt to manipulate oil markets and mask Washington's failures, reaffirming that Tehran alone retains decisive control over the strait.
On August 31, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps announced that a supertanker caught fire and came to a complete stop after striking two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC Navy said the vessel was attempting to pass through an illegal route in the strait when it was hit by the mines, causing massive fires.
Read more: IRGC Navy: our control over Hormuz is 'completely decisive'
