Tankers targeted near Hormuz in suspected IRGC missile attack

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has attacked vessels near the Strait of Hormuz with two missiles, according to U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal and Axios, in an incident that risks undermining a recently agreed ceasefire framework.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported an attack on a tanker near Oman, reinforcing accounts of maritime security incidents in the area.

One of the vessels targeted appears to be the tanker Al Rekayyat, owned by Qatar’s Nakilat, The Wall Street Journal reported. Intercepted radio communications indicated that the ship was struck on its port side in the upper section of the engine room, triggering a fire and heavy smoke. All crew members were reported safe and assembled on the starboard side.

The incident took place in the Gulf of Oman, near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route. The tanker had not transmitted GPS signals since June 18, according to the report.

Axios, citing two U.S. officials, said the two vessels targeted by Iran sustained damage but were not significantly affected.

The reported attacks threaten to derail a memorandum of understanding signed on June 18, under which Iran agreed to halt attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement envisaged a two-month ceasefire and was intended to open the way for broader negotiations on a comprehensive deal.

By Tamilla Hasanova