By Jaidaa Taha, Muhammad Al Gebaly and Nadine Awadalla

(Reuters) – An oil tanker flying the Palau flag, which is under U.S. sanctions, was attacked off the Musandam peninsula in Oman on Sunday. The country's maritime security center reported that four crew members were injured, but did not reveal the source of the attack.

This incident follows drone strikes that occurred earlier at the commercial port of Duqm on the Arabian Sea in Oman.

These events represent the first assaults on targets in or near Oman after a series of retaliatory actions by Tehran against Gulf states. This retaliation comes after joint U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran, escalating tensions in the region.

The 20 crew members aboard the Skylight tanker were evacuated after the incident, which took place about 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port in Musandam, a strategic location near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Oman Maritime Security Centre.

Initial reports indicated that four crew members sustained injuries of varying severity. The crew consists of 15 Indian and 5 Iranian nationals.

The Skylight tanker is owned by Sea Force Inc. and managed by Red Sea Ship Management LLC, according to data from LSEG. Attempts to reach both companies for comments were unsuccessful.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Red Sea Ship Management and the Skylight, among other vessels, in December 2025. They were accused of operating a "shadow fleet" to transport Iranian oil products in the Gulf.

Earlier on Sunday, Oman’s state news agency reported that two drones had struck the Duqm commercial port, resulting in injuries to one expatriate worker.

Debris from another drone fell near fuel tanks in Duqm, but no injuries or damages were reported from that incident.