Iran expands attacks on commercial shipping, striking three tankers as US disables bulker

Iran has broadened its threats against commercial shipping beyond the Strait of Hormuz, with attacks reported in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf over the weekend. The incidents included a drone strike near Sohar, Oman, and two separate attacks on tankers transiting the strategic waterway, while US forces disabled a commercial bulk carrier linked to Iran.

The escalation followed a warning issued last Friday by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The organisation said vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorisation, including those operating elsewhere in the wider region, would face what it described as “definitive” punishment.

On 11 October, a tanker at anchor near Sohar was struck by an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV), according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Local authorities were assisting with the evacuation of the vessel’s crew.

The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) subsequently reported on the social media platform X that the vessel, flying the Nicaraguan flag, had been hit by a drone at Sohar Anchorage. Two Indian seafarers were missing from the 14-member crew following the attack.

The union also shared footage apparently filmed from a lifeboat, showing the tanker engulfed in flames, with thick smoke rising from the forward section of the ship.

Vessels ordered to leave anchorages in the UAE

The threats extended to ships anchored in the Arabian Gulf off the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 10 October. According to a UKMTO alert, several shipmasters operating near Ras Al Khaimah reported receiving instructions via very high frequency (VHF) radio broadcasts to leave their anchorages.

The warning marked a further expansion of the pressure on commercial shipping, with vessels potentially exposed to threats even when they were not transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Two additional attacks were reported against ships travelling outbound through the strait.

On 11 October, the UKMTO received a report from a Company Security Officer (CSO) stating that a tanker had been struck on its port side by an unidentified projectile while sailing out of the Strait of Hormuz. The impact caused damage to the vessel.

Maritime security company Vanguard Tech identified the ship as Angola Prosperity, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) operated by Sinokor. All crew members were reported safe.

A separate incident occurred on 10 October, when the Marshall Islands-flagged Suezmax tanker Valthera was hit by an unidentified projectile on its port side during an outbound transit of the strait, according to Vanguard Tech.

The strike triggered a fire on board, prompting the master to request assistance in fighting the blaze. Despite the damage and the resulting emergency, all crew members were reported safe.

US forces disable another vessel linked to Iran

Meanwhile, US forces operating in the region carried out another strike against a commercial vessel linked to Iran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces disabled the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Molica, also known as Arika Sun, after the ship’s crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to breach the ongoing US naval blockade against Iran.

According to CENTCOM, a fighter aircraft struck the vessel’s stern using a precision munition. The strike disabled the ship’s propulsion system without causing harm to the crew, the US military command said.

CENTCOM also stated that the vessel had previously called at an Iranian port.

The operation forms part of a broader campaign targeting maritime traffic associated with Iran. Since the blockade of Iranian ports was reinstated on 14 July, US forces have disabled four commercial vessels and turned back 135 ships, according to CENTCOM.

The latest incidents underscore the growing risks facing commercial shipping across the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the wider Arabian Gulf, as threats against vessels and military action continue to disrupt maritime operations in the region.