Two separate maritime incidents occurred south of the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman's Musandam Governorate. According to reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the incidents took place between the night of July 31 and the morning of August 1.
The first incident was recorded at 22:06 GMT (01:06 Mecca time). The captain of a tanker 21 nautical miles northeast of Khasab reported seeing a large water splash and an explosion near the vessel. UKMTO announced that the vessel sustained no damage and that the tanker's name would not be disclosed.
The second incident occurred 1 hour and 24 minutes later, at 23:30 GMT. A tanker 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima was hit by an unknown projectile. The projectile caused damage to the engine room, leaving the tanker 'not under command.' There were no casualties or environmental pollution.
Route of the GasLog Shanghai
Vessel tracking data revealed the route of the Bermuda-flagged LNG tanker 'GasLog Shanghai.' The tanker had departed from Qatar's Ras Laffan Port partially loaded on July 28. After transmitting its last signal at 01:02 GMT on July 31, the tanker then went silent. Operator company GasLog confirmed that the tanker experienced an incident while exiting the Strait of Hormuz and stated that the crew is safe.
Statement from Iran
Hours before these incidents, on July 31, Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced that two 'violating' tankers under US air escort were hit while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The statement said that four additional tankers changed course and turned back. The Revolutionary Guards warned that US interventions in the region 'will not go unanswered.' However, the Iranian side did not share the names or locations of the hit tankers.
Footage of a burning tanker broadcast on Iranian television around the same time was later understood to be of the 'Cavomalias,' a tanker that had undergone a similar attack on July 20.
These developments came amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran. While Iran warned that bases which could be used by US forces might be targeted, Washington urged its citizens in the region to be prepared for possible travel disruptions.
