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Iran Keeps Up Pace of Strikes With Attack on Brand New LR2 Tanker

Shahed
Iran's low-cost attack drones have played a prominent role in its campaign to restrict Hormuz traffic (IRGC file image)

Published Oct 4, 2026 3:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Sunday, Iran hit another tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, extending a fast-paced run of attacks on the "shuttle" shipping trade between Gulf oil producers and the STS transfer zone in the Gulf of Oman. 

Vanguard Tech has identified the latest tanker hit as the Lipsi, a brand new LR2 linked to a Greek operator and a Chinese owner. Industry media sources have reported that the vessel sustained engine room damage. 

U.S. Central Command's Joint Maritime Information Center logged three more Strait of Hormuz incidents on Saturday. During the first tanker's Hormuz transit, a drone flew down the funnel and entered the engine room, causing a small fire and brief loss of power; the second tanker was hit on the port quarter, damaging the engine room and prompting a tow; and the third tanker was struck on the port quarter, causing it to lose propulsion. No injuries were reported in any of Saturday's incidents.

Over the past week, the pace of successful Iranian strikes has sped up following weeks of relative security. The attacks put pressure on the steady flow of tanker traffic through the waterway, which had recently rebounded to more than 12 million barrels per day - enough to restore total Gulf export volume to nearly prewar levels.

There may be technical factors behind the increased hit rate. Iran's ship-targeting capability appears to be getting better, one U.S. official told the Wall Street Journal.   

A reduced emphasis on deterrence may also be allowing Iran greater latitude to strike shipping. After briefly pursuing a "head-for-an-eye" strategy of damaging or sinking Iranian tankers in retaliation, the U.S. appears to have ceased all publicized counterattacks on the Iran-linked merchant fleet. The last CENTCOM strike on an Iranian tanker was on September 8. 

So far, at least some volume of tanker traffic through the U.S.-protected southern waterway continues, despite Iran's push to increase the pace of attacks. Naval analyst Tom Bike has identified three disabled tankers in the vicinity of the Musandam Peninsula and at least four additional tankers making a daylight transit through the channel.