Oil tanker attacked near Iraq's Al Faw port, fifth in Iraqi waters
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The gist
A UK maritime agency reported an attack on an oil tanker near Iraq's Al Faw port, the fifth in Iraqi waters since the war.
Most attacked vessels refuse to report, so the true number of strikes is unclear.
Background
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway through which one-fifth of global supplies pass in peacetime, and it has become a flashpoint between the US and Iran since the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28, 2026, starting the US-Iran war. A US-imposed blockade has been in effect since mid-July, and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the strait is still closed to maritime traffic, though he announced special routes for Iraqi ships. UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a British maritime agency) reports the incidents, and says most attacked vessels refuse to report to it.
How it unfolded
- Feb 28, 2026The US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, starting the US-Iran war; traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since.
- Mid-March 2026Two foreign-flagged fuel tankers were set ablaze near al-Faw port; Iraqi rescue vessels evacuated the crews.
- Mid-July 2026A drone hit a commercial cargo vessel near an offshore oil terminal off southern Basra province.
- Sep 23, 2026The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged bulk carrier Cape Dao was hit by a projectile near the strait.
- Oct 14, 2026 -19, 2026Iran's IRGC Navy and navy reported a series of tanker fires after mine strikes in and near the Strait of Hormuz, saying the vessels had switched off tracking systems and used unauthorized routes.
- Oct 20, 2026UKMTO reported an explosion near an oil tanker about 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman; the tanker and crew were safe and the cause was not determined.
- Oct 21, 2026UKMTO reported an attack on an oil tanker near Iraq's Al Faw port, the fifth known attack in Iraqi territorial waters since the war; crew safe, no damage or environmental impact reported. It also reported another projectile near the Omani coast.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Iran's navy and IRGC Navy say the tankers disabled tracking systems and used unauthorized or prohibited routes, and that such vessels will be dealt with severely; Admiral Ali Ozmaei said a vessel that deactivates its navigation systems is considered hostile.
- Official
- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the Strait of Hormuz is still closed to maritime traffic but announced special routes for Iraqi ships to pass through.
- Official
- US Central Command says it has redirected 138 vessels leaving or entering Iranian southern ports and escorted more than one billion barrels of oil through the waterway, and that Iran has exported zero oil from its shores since the blockade.
- Caution
- UKMTO says it is struggling to accurately report the true number of attacks because most attacked vessels refuse to report to it.
Still unverified
UKMTO says it lacks verification and that most attacked vessels refuse to report, constraining accurate attack counts; the cause of the explosion near Khasab has not been determined; Iranian statements did not identify the tankers, their flags or operators, or specify the cause of fires or possible casualties; a video circulated as showing a recent tanker hit in the Strait of Hormuz is old, from March 1, showing the Palau-flagged Sky Light tanker, according to Misbar.