30th October 2026 – (London) A vessel transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz caught fire on Thursday about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said, citing a third‑party report. UKMTO noted that the cause of the blaze was unknown and that information on the crew’s status, damage and any environmental impact had not yet been verified.
The alert followed an earlier UKMTO report this month of a tanker said to have been struck by an unknown projectile while outbound in the same corridor, highlighting persistent risks to commercial shipping near the Musandam Peninsula. Advisories in recent weeks have referenced multiple projectile incidents resulting in onboard fires and temporary blackouts, though independent confirmation has been limited.
Amid the uncertainty, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed that several tankers recently hit naval mines while attempting to exit via an unauthorised southern route, assertions that international observers and military officials have not corroborated. Regional reporting has characterised the claims as unverified and part of a contested information landscape around maritime security in the strait.
Authorities and maritime risk advisers urged operators to maintain heightened vigilance, adhere to reporting protocols and follow recognised transit corridors pending further confirmation of Thursday’s incident and any potential spillover effects on regional shipping.
