EL7.AI
GeopoliticsMedium•2 November 2026•
3 min read

Two unidentified projectiles hit oil tanker 72 nautical miles east of Khafji

Key Facts

1A tanker was reported hit 72 nautical miles east of Ras Al Khafji.
2Two unidentified projectiles struck the tanker as it sailed southeast in the Arabian Gulf.
3UKMTO said all crew members were accounted for.
4No environmental impact had been reported at the time the alert was issued.

UKMTO said in an alert published on November 2, 2026, that it had received a report of an oil tanker being hit by two unidentified projectiles 72 nautical miles east of Ras Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia. The tanker was sailing southeast through the Arabian Gulf when the projectiles struck its port side, according to the organization. The alert gave the incident’s location and distance from Ras Al Khafji but did not name the tanker. UKMTO said all crew members were accounted for and no environmental impact had been reported at the time the alert was issued. It advised vessels transiting the area to exercise caution while authorities investigate the incident.

UKMTO said the two projectiles, whose origin was unknown, struck the tanker’s port side, and the alert provided no information about other damage to the vessel. Its description of the incident said the tanker was heading southeast while transiting the Arabian Gulf. The alert did not disclose the vessel’s name or identity, so it did not link the incident to a specific tanker. It also did not say that a fire had broken out on board. The published information on the crew’s status was limited to confirmation that all members were accounted for.

On the environmental impact, the organization said none had been reported by the time the alert was issued. The open report included no further details about the extent of the physical damage or the nature of the projectiles. UKMTO advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to it. It said authorities were investigating the incident, without giving a timeline for the investigation or announcing preliminary findings. The navigational warning and ongoing investigation therefore remain the main developments reported in the alert.

The incident took place east of Ras Al Khafji in the northern Gulf, while the tanker was transiting the Arabian Gulf, according to UKMTO’s description of the location and the vessel’s route. The location differs from the Strait of Hormuz, where two Saudi oil tankers were targeted with unidentified projectiles in a previous incident on September 1, 2026, according to a story published by EL7. That incident provides background on previous attacks on tankers in the region but does not establish a link between the two incidents. The current report does not attribute responsibility for the projectiles to any party. The alert provided no information on market reactions or changes in marine insurance costs.