OMAN Aug 24, 2026 – An oil tanker was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 9 nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman, on Monday, according to a warning issued by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The vessel’s master reported that the impact damaged the engine room and left the tanker disabled. All crew members are safe, the UKMTO said. The environmental impact remains unknown at the time of the report.
Authorities are investigating the incident. UKMTO advised vessels to transit the area with caution and to report any suspicious activity.
Ash Shishah lies on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula at the southern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping chokepoint through which a significant share of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas passes. The location places the incident close to the primary commercial transit lanes connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the wider Indian Ocean.
The UKMTO warning, designated 120-26 and issued late on August 24, 2026, is based on the report received from the tanker’s master. No further details on the type of projectile, the vessel’s identity or flag, or any claim of responsibility have been released.
Shipping operators in the region have faced repeated security incidents involving projectiles in recent months, prompting heightened caution among commercial vessels transiting the strait and surrounding waters.
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