Two supertankers carrying Saudi crude were struck by unknown projectiles late on Monday while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz, maritime intelligence and tracking firms Marisks and Kpler reported.
Marisks characterised the near-simultaneous strikes as "a further escalation in the threat environment within the Omani corridor." According to Kpler data, each of the vessels had loaded 2 million barrels of Saudi crude at the Juaymah terminal last week.
The incidents unfolded near the approaches to Khasab, Oman. Marisks said the Saudi Arabian-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) Sidr was hit by unknown projectiles about 16.6 nautical miles northeast of Khasab at approximately 19:52 UTC. Minutes later, the Liberian-flagged VLCC Senegal Prosperity was reportedly struck by three unknown projectiles roughly 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Marisks added.
All crew aboard both vessels were reported safe, Marisks said. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) also reported that three projectiles struck a tanker in the same location as it sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz, and that this appeared to be the same incident.
Operators for the two affected vessels did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Bahri, which operates Sidr, and Sinokor, which operates Senegal Prosperity, were reported as not immediately responding.
The incidents come amid a broader environment of constrained Gulf energy exports. The article's reporting references Iranian and U.S. blockades of the Strait of Hormuz that have sharply curbed exports from the Gulf as both sides sought to assert authority over the waterway. Efforts by mediators, including Qatar and Oman, to broker a deal to reopen the strait have so far been inconclusive.
Before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran more than six months ago, the strait carried about a fifth of global oil supplies, the reporting said. Saudi Aramco had resumed oil loadings and sales from inside the strait in August.
The incidents also occurred against a backdrop of elevated market tensions. Oil prices gained on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further strikes against Iran, following the first exchanges of fire since late July, according to the reporting.
Separately, earlier on Tuesday Iranian media reported that a Saudi oil tanker was stopped while transiting through the southern corridor of the Strait of Hormuz.
Contextual notes
- The vessels involved were identified as the Saudi Arabian-flagged VLCC Sidr and the Liberian-flagged VLCC Senegal Prosperity.
- Both tankers had loaded 2 million barrels each at Juaymah terminal the previous week, per Kpler.
- No injuries to crew were reported, and operator responses were pending at the time of reporting.