Iran fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported late Monday night, citing a US official.
According to the report, both ships were damaged significantly, but there were no casualties. Shortly before the report, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) stated that a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile while traveling about eight nautical miles (14.8 km) east of Oman's Limah, causing a fire.
"Mayday mayday mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room," the Al Rekayyat's captain said in a recorded radio call reviewed by Reuters. "Status: engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage."
Later on Tuesday, UKMTO said it received an additional report of a tanker in the strait sustaining damage after being hit by an unidentified projectile, noting that no casualties or environmental impact was reported.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, said on Tuesday the targeting of the Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat near the Strait of Hormuz was an unacceptable attack on the security of international navigation and global energy supplies.
Describing the incident as a clear violation of international law, he urged Iran to immediately halt actions threatening regional security and maritime navigation, and said Tehran bore full legal responsibility for the attack and any resulting damage or consequences.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned ships in recent days to remain on Iranian-designated routes rather than the US-designated route near the coast of Oman. "Our missiles and drones are ready to fire at you," the IRGC told ships over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Saudi, Qatari tankers damaged while crossing the Strait
The ships were a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker damaged near the coast of Oman and a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, the Al Rekayyat, which was struck in the same area, according to maritime security sources.
The cause of the blast was unknown, and the crude tanker that hit was believed to be the Wedyan supertanker, the sources said.
The Wedyan's last position was in the Gulf on July 3, according to ship-tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform. Saudi officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
The crew of the Qatari tanker was being evacuated after the hit, three sources said later on Tuesday.
Ship's condition unknown
The Al Rekayyat was loaded with LNG and sent out distress signals seeking assistance after it was hit on its port side, another source said earlier on Tuesday.
The vessel’s condition was not known at this stage, the three sources said.
Early on Tuesday, a crew member on a ship near the Al Rekayyat heard a message from the ship stating that it had been hit on the port side, at the top of the engine room, according to a recording shared with the WSJ.
"Engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage. All crew are safe and mustered on the starboard side," the WSJ cited the recording as saying.