United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said Saturday it received a report that the master of an outbound tanker was struck on the port side by an unknown projectile within the Strait of Hormuz at 7:20 PM UTC, causing a fire on board. The crew were reported safe; damage and environmental impact were unknown, and vessels were advised to transit with caution. In a separate advisory the same day, UKMTO said several ship captains near Ras Al Khaimah reported being ordered by VHF broadcast to move from their anchorages. Russian state outlet RT separately reported a tanker ablaze after shelling in the strait. The incident is distinct from Saturday’s UAE Coast Guard rescue of 22 crew from a burning tanker in Gulf waters and from the IRGC’s claim that a supertanker hit a mine in the strait.
Outbound tanker struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz
UKMTO reported Saturday that an outbound tanker was struck on its port side by an unknown projectile inside the Strait of Hormuz at 7:20 PM UTC, starting a fire, with the crew reported safe.
Why it matters: A confirmed projectile strike inside the strait, on top of the IRGC's mine claims and the Gulf tanker fire, keeps war-risk premia at crisis levels on the world's most important oil chokepoint.
Data as of October 10, 2026: UKMTO advisory via defconlevel relay (opened via search result; UKMTO is the authoritative maritime reporting body). RT's shelling account, in Russian, cited from feed metadata; RT is Russian state-affiliated, treat its characterization as its narrative. Vessel name, flag and damage assessment unknown.
Sources
- Outbound Tanker Struck by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz · UKMTO (via defconlevel.com) · 2026-10-10
- Танкер загорелся после обстрела в Ормузском проливе (Tanker caught fire after shelling in the Strait of Hormuz) · RT (Russian) · 2026-10-10