On Friday, a commercial ship was hit by a projectile in the Persian Gulf, which led to a fire on board. This is the second attack on shipping in the Gulf in just three days, highlighting a rise in violence beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that multiple sources confirmed the vessel was struck around 1000 UTC, approximately 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera, UAE.
The fire caused by the strike has been put out. However, UKMTO Warning 160-26 states that the condition of the crew, the level of damage, and any environmental effects are still unknown.
Authorities are looking into the incident, and UKMTO has not revealed the name of the vessel involved or assigned responsibility for the attack.
This incident comes right after an attack on October 7 on a tanker close to the coast of Qatar, making it the second incident in three days where a ship was hit within the Persian Gulf instead of while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
This shift in location is noteworthy. Recently, most attacks on commercial ships have happened along the southern Omani route through Hormuz, even though there have been U.S. efforts to ensure safer passage.
Maritime security analyst Martin Kelly noted that the October 7 attack near Qatar was the first reported Iranian strike against a vessel inside the Gulf since September 9, moving away from Hormuz.
On September 9, two vessels were attacked in different locations inside the Gulf. The HERCULES STAR (IMO 9916135) was hit about 24 nautical miles northwest of Port Rashid, UAE, resulting in the deaths of two seafarers. Meanwhile, the NEW ANDROS (IMO 9294252) was struck around 28 nautical miles southeast of Al-Faw, Iraq.
These recent incidents point to a troubling trend of increased violence as attacks on commercial shipping have surged since late September. Although Iran has carried out attacks on shipping during the ongoing conflict, UKMTO hasn't officially connected Friday's incident to any specific party.
The recent attack adds to growing concerns about security for commercial shipping in the area.
In a weekly maritime security update released on Friday, UKMTO reported 11 attacks in the week ending October 7, with 10 occurring in the Strait of Hormuz and one in the Arabian Gulf.
UKMTO mentioned that out of 59 incidents involving commercial shipping since July 6, 41 occurred along the southern route through Hormuz. The agency also noted that there are more incidents that are known but not independently confirmed.
Even with the worsening security situation, there are some signs of recovery in commercial traffic through the Strait.
UKMTO recorded 275 total inbound and outbound transits in the last week, up from 247 the previous week and 239 three weeks earlier. These numbers include vessel movements tracked by AIS and U.S.-reported facilitated transits, which UKMTO cannot verify independently.
However, traffic levels remain about 75% lower than before the conflict began.
The Joint Maritime Information Center continues to label the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz as SEVERE, which suggests that hostile actions are very likely. In contrast, the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are rated at a MODERATE risk level.
These latest attacks raise further concerns for commercial operators considering a return to regular shipping in the region. While much attention has been focused on securing routes through Hormuz, the incidents near Qatar and the UAE highlight that vessels operating deeper inside the Persian Gulf are also at risk.
UKMTO has advised ships to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activities as investigations into the latest strike are ongoing.