Iran strikes tankers outside Hormuz in signs of expanding campaign

Iran's armed forces struck two commercial tankers outside the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours this week, in what appeared to be a deliberate widening of attacks beyond the narrow waterway. The incidents took place in waters off Qatar and near Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman, both outside the strait that is central to global energy shipping. The reported attacks have raised concern that maritime insecurity in the region may be spreading into a broader area.

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The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said several projectiles hit the oil and chemical tanker Acers, which was flagged in Antigua and Barbuda, 51 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal in Qatar on Wednesday. Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard identified the vessel and said it was heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. Casualties were reported, although no further details were given in the supplied material.

In a separate incident on Thursday, Vanguard reported a fire on a tanker about 40 kilometres off Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman, which it identified as likely the Marshall Islands-flagged Dhalgout. The cause of the second fire was not immediately clear, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency had not recorded that incident. NASA's fire-detection system confirmed the blaze, and US military aircraft were observed over the area at the time, including two KC-46 tankers, a KC-135, a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and several helicopters.

Iran and media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps did not officially claim responsibility for either attack. However, IRGC-linked outlets suggested Tehran had extended the scope of its operations against commercial vessels beyond the Strait of Hormuz. The incidents matter because the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoints, with roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments normally passing through it.

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Any widening of attacks beyond the strait could increase uncertainty for shipping companies, insurers and energy markets. The reported strikes also come amid a period of heightened tension between Iran and the United States, with Iranian officials issuing fresh warnings against Washington. The first tanker attack was described as the first in that area in more than six months, underlining how unusual the location was compared with earlier maritime incidents focused closer to the strait itself.

The supplied material also said the strait has been effectively closed since the war began in late February, after Iran and the United States imposed concurrent naval blockades. That context suggests the latest incidents are part of a wider pattern of maritime pressure rather than isolated events. What remains unclear is who carried out the second incident, whether the fire was caused by an attack, and how many people were affected in the first strike.

It is also not clear whether either vessel was carrying cargo linked to the broader dispute. The next developments to watch are any formal attribution, further casualty information, and whether shipping advisories are tightened for the Gulf of Oman and approaches to Hormuz.

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