Iran claims it attacked an LPG tanker flying an “illegal route” via Hormuz | Today’s news
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday (Oct 9) it had hit a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz through what Tehran described as an “illegal route”, as maritime authorities separately reported a missile strike that sparked a fire on board the ship off the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The two reports identified different vessels, and it was not immediately clear whether the incidents were related.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the Revolutionary Guards said Iranian forces had “taken control of the administration of the strait”, reiterating Tehran’s efforts to regulate shipping along the strategic waterway amid the ongoing Middle East war.
“While conducting this mission, a giant LPG carrier named NV Sunshine, owned by NatWit, was hit a few hours ago while attempting to transit through an illegal route south of the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said.
Iran has been trying to gain control of the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began in late February, insisting that vessels obtain its permission to sail through Tehran-designated routes. However, some ships increasingly tried to navigate an alternative route along the southern coast of the strait.
A fire was reported aboard a tanker off the coast of the UAE
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency further said the vessel was hit by a projectile approximately 13 nautical miles (24 kilometers) from Al Jazeera Al Hamra in the UAE, southwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident caused a fire on board the ship, UKMTO said in a statement on Friday.
“The condition of the crew, damage assessment and environmental impact are currently unknown. Authorities are investigating,” the agency said.
The incident was also reported by the British maritime security firm Vanguard, which identified the vessel as the GEM NO.2 oil tanker sailing under Panama.
Available reports have not established a link between the reported strike on the LPG carrier NV Sunshine claimed by Iran and the missile incident involving GEM NO.2 off the coast of the UAE.
The latest news comes days after another tanker was hit off Qatar, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) west of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint
Ships operating in the Persian Gulf and those attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz have faced repeated attacks since the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran in late February.
The strait is the only sea passage to and from the Persian Gulf and serves as a critical route for global energy supplies. Before the war, approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed by waterway.
Iran tried to restrict traffic through the strait, although some vessels continued to cross. US media reports have also described US military efforts to protect ships using the southern route.
Meanwhile, the United States imposed a counter-blockade on Iranian ports and occasionally fired on vessels linked to Tehran, further intensifying the confrontation over naval access.
Competing efforts to control shipping on the waterway have increased risks to commercial vessels and added to concerns about the security of global energy supplies.
