Between 3rd and 5th October, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a series of incidents involving merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding maritime areas. UKMTO warnings n. 150–156 paint a picture characterised by numerous attacks on oil tankers and other commercial vessels, as well as episodes of interference and suspicious activity.
The first incident in UKMTO Warning 150-26 is an attack on an oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to the ship’s captain, the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile, resulting in damage to the engine room. The crew were safe and, at the time of the report, there had been no environmental damage. The authorities had launched an investigation.
Subsequent UKMTO warnings reported attacks on an LPG tanker transiting the Strait (the vessel is said to have been struck by an unidentified projectile) and on an oil tanker hit by one or more unidentified projectiles.
In parallel, the UKMTO issued Warning 152-26, relating to an incident of a different nature. An oil tanker heading for the Strait of Hormuz was contacted by radio by individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) whilst it was approximately 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, in Oman. The vessel was reportedly ordered to reverse course, with a warning that, should it fail to do so, it would be targeted. The captain subsequently confirmed that he had followed the instructions received.
The UKMTO has classified the incident as ‘Suspicious Activity’ rather than an attack. The incident is, however, significant from a maritime security perspective, as it highlights that the threat to commercial shipping is not limited to kinetic attacks, but also includes attempts to directly influence the navigation of merchant ships.
The sequence continued on 5th October with UKMTO Warning 156-26. At 16:37, the UKMTO received a report concerning an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The captain stated that the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire in the engine room. At the time of the report, the crew were engaged in fire-fighting operations.
Translation by Giles Foster
