Iran Claims to Strike Tanker for Running Strait of Hormuz Blockade

On Saturday morning, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have struck an oil tanker for failing to abide by Iran's "closure" of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran declared the strait to be shut more than a week ago, and has repeatedly attacked vessels that attempt to operate it, including one boxship and one rescue tug. Eight seafarers aboard the tug may have lost their lives, though the outcome of the attack has not been confirmed.

Industry sources confirm that a small number of tankers continue to continue to transit the strait with transponders off, though the waterway looks entirely empty on AIS tracking. War risk insurance is available, if exceptionally expensive, and day rates for tankers are high enough for some owners to justify the risk to their crewmembers and their tonnage.

That risk appeared to be confirmed Friday when the IRGC Navy claimed to have used a drone to attack the tanker Prima, "due to its disregard for repeated warnings . . . regarding the prohibition of passage." Other IRGC-linked sources have identified the target vessel as the Louis P, a product tanker currently located near Al Jubail.

The attack has not been confirmed by official sources, but at about the same time, UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a drone strike on an unnamed vessel at a position about 10 nautical miles to the north of Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The majority of the crew was safely evacuated, and a small number of personnel remain on board. An investigation into the circumstances of the attack is under way.

The U.S. Maritime Administration has advised vessels to "keep clear" of the strait for now, given the hazard. Most other industry and government bodies have given a less stringent advisory, recommending that owners should make a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate precautions.