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UKMTO Reports Four Strikes in One Day on Tankers in the Mideast

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also released unverified footage appearing to show a new attack on a UAE-operated tanker (IRGC)
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also released unverified footage (above) appearing to show a new attack on a UAE-operated tanker (IRGC)

By The Maritime Executive 2026-10-12 14:41:34

[Updated] UK Maritime Trade Operations, a division of the Royal Navy, has recorded two more previously-unreported attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz occurring Sunday. The news adds to the two strikes previously reported on Sunday, bringing the total for October 11 to four attacks - an unprecedented rate for GCC-linked tankers during the current conflict, if accurate. 

The third strike hit a tanker of undefined type at an unknown time on Sunday, in the general vicinity of the north end of the Musandam Peninsula. The crew has been confirmed as safe.

The fourth strike hit a product tanker at an unknown time on Sunday at a position to the northwest of the Peninsula. No further information was released.

The new reports bring the total number of known incidents to four strikes on October 11 alone, in addition to three prior attacks on October 9-10. 

At about the same time as UKMTO's lastest report, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy released video footage purporting to show an attack on a tanker that was "ignoring warnings and switching off its navigation system," according to state media. Unverified footage of the stern displays the name of the UAE-owned tanker Al Maqam (IMO 9732577).

The timing of the alleged IRGC strike - and whether the vessel was the same as the tanker discussed in UKMTO's Monday report - was not immediately clear.

"Any cooperation by commercial vessels and oil tankers with the US terrorist, smuggling, aggressor and plundering military in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf will face our decisive response," the IRGC Navy said in a statement. 

The UKMTO's report marked the latest in a rapid-fire string of attacks. On Sunday, the Indian government confirmed a strike on the small product tanker Petro Dolphin off Sohar, Oman, which left two seafarers missing. Nine survivors have been rescued and a SAR operation is under way, Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement on Sunday. Unverified video footage circulating on local social media accounts (above) appeared to show flames engulfing the vessel's deck amidships. 

UKMTO reported an additional attack on an unnamed vessel at the eastern end of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday afternoon, at about 1200 hours UTC. The ship was hit on the port side by a projectile. According to consultancy Vanguard Tech, the vessel was on an outbound transit, and the strike caused damage. Vanguard has identified the ship as a Korean-operated participant in the high-risk Hormuz trade.

On Saturday night, at about 1920 hours UTC, another tanker was hit on the port side by an unknown projectile at a position north of the Musandam Peninsula. The strike started a fire on board, but all crewmembers were unharmed, according to UKMTO. 

At about the same time on Saturday night, ships at the anchorage at Ras Al Khaimah, UAE reported an unusual VHF instruction from Iranian forces exhorting all vessels to weigh anchor and relocate.

On Friday, at about 1000 UTC, a vessel was reportedly hit by a projectile off the coast of Sharjah, UAE. The attack started a fire, which was soon extinguished. 

With all of the suspected Iranian attack activity - amounting to more than 20 strikes in a month - ballast voyage tanker traffic into the Gulf of Oman is beginning to slow, according to Bloomberg. Over the last few days, the news agency has counted at least 10 VLCCs and several Suezmaxes that initially appeared to be headed to Fujairah - the lucrative export transfer point for the U.S.-backed "shuttle service" through the Hormuz danger zone - but stopped their voyages or turned around before arrival. 

With spot charter rates continuing to notch new record highs, the decision to pause or reverse course on a notional Mideast-Asia voyage could incur a cost of up to $1.4 million per day for a VLCC, whether borne by the owner or charterer.