Two Projectiles Strike Oil Tanker 14 Nautical Miles Off Oman

Key Facts

An oil tanker was struck by two unidentified projectiles about 14 nautical miles northeast of Lima off Oman on November 3, Shafaq News reported, citing UKMTO. The agency said the projectiles hit the vessel’s engine room, citing a security official at the operating company. There were no reports of injuries or environmental damage, according to UKMTO. The agency urged vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity. The incident is under investigation, and the tanker’s identity was not disclosed in the published information about the incident.

The incident came a day after a delayed report published by UKMTO said a vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile on its starboard side, 9 nautical miles northeast of Lima on November 1, according to Seatrade Maritime. The publication noted that the report was issued on November 2, while the incident occurred the previous day. In a separate incident on October 29, limpet mines struck a tanker 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Reuters reported, citing UKMTO and security sources. UKMTO said at the time that the crew was safe, there was no environmental impact and the vessel continued to its next port. These incidents involve separate events at different locations and on different days off Oman, and the sources have not linked them as one incident.

In the context of vessels appearing on the Iranian list, a list published by Seatrade on November 2 showed the name GRIT and International Maritime Organization number 9243150 among entries on Iran’s non-compliance list. However, the available information about the November 3 attack does not name the vessel that was struck, so its connection to GRIT cannot be confirmed on the basis of these reports. Seatrade said vessels that had been attacked accounted for 7.8% of new additions to the list in the November 2 update. It compared this with the October 15 list, in which 90% of the vessels added had been attacked. These percentages refer to separate lists and dates and do not identify the tanker struck off Lima.

Seatrade said at least 9 of the vessels newly added to the non-compliance list had been targeted since the regional conflict began. It added that these vessels were linked to 10 attacks since March 2026, based on the International Maritime Organization’s list of confirmed incidents. In the November 2 update, the list included at least 46 vessels linked to Sinokor, or about half of the South Korean tanker owner’s fleet, according to Seatrade. The publication also said that Al Dasma, a tanker owned by Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, was struck twice, on September 7 and October 20. These figures provide background on previous attacks and listings, but do not establish that the tanker struck on November 3 is on the list.

The International Maritime Organization collects data on attacks on commercial vessels in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman through a verification process involving flag states, coastal states and reliable external sources. The organization’s list of confirmed incidents was updated on November 3, according to its website. In the Lima incident, UKMTO urged vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report suspicious activity while the investigation continues. The published information did not give details about the vessel’s identity, flag or classification. The incident statement also contained no data on oil prices, insurance costs or traffic through the area after the incident.