A tanker sailing off the northern coast of Qatar was struck by multiple projectiles, with casualties reported among those on board, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The incident occurred about 51 nautical miles, or 94 kilometers, north of Madinat ash Shamal on Wednesday. UKMTO stated that the tanker reported being struck by several projectiles and that casualties had been reported. Authorities are investigating the incident.
UKMTO did not provide details on the number of people injured or killed, identify the vessel or specify where the projectiles originated. The agency advised vessels operating in the area to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity.
The incident is notable because attacks on commercial vessels in the central and western Gulf have been less common than incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz. The Maritime Executive described the latest incident as the first reported tanker attack in the western half of the Gulf in several weeks.
The attack took place within Qatar’s exclusive economic zone, but Qatari authorities had not issued an immediate public statement on the incident.
The development comes amid a sharp increase in attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz. UKMTO reported that nine tanker attacks had been recorded in the Strait during October as of Tuesday, highlighting the growing risks faced by vessels operating through the strategically important waterway.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a critical route for global energy supplies. Before the current conflict began, around 125 large commercial vessels passed through the strait each day, carrying a significant share of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
The latest attack has also affected shipping activity. Reuters reported that transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to their lowest level in more than two months following a recent surge in tanker attacks. On October 6, only seven commodity vessels passed through the corridor, while crude oil flows through the strait fell to about 10.1 million barrels per day, roughly 74 percent of pre-war levels.
Despite the disruptions, Middle Eastern crude exports have remained relatively strong. Kpler data showed that the seven-day average of regional crude exports reached 18.3 million barrels per day on September 30, compared with about 18 million barrels per day during the 12 months before the conflict.
The tanker attack off Qatar adds another layer of concern for commercial shipping in the Gulf, where vessel operators are facing increasing security risks and disruptions to one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
