A tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz was attacked by a small boat that fixed two explosive devices to its side, causing a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabling the ship. This information comes from a verified report by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The attack on October 29 marks a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict, adding a new danger for commercial shipping that has already been facing repeated missile and drone attacks in this important waterway.
UKMTO Warning 187-26 states that the incident took place about 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, as the tanker was leaving the strait.
A small boat approached the tanker on its port side and attached two explosives above the waterline. The explosions set off a fire in the engine room and briefly disabled the vessel.
UKMTO confirmed on Friday that the crew was safe, the fire was put out, and there was no environmental harm. The tanker has since continued its journey.
Sources on maritime security identified the weapons as limpet mines, which are explosives attached directly to a ship's hull. This attack is the first reported successful use of this tactic against commercial ships in the area since the conflict began in February.
Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, identified the vessel as the LOUISE 1 and noted that this attack indicates Iran's ongoing campaign against commercial shipping.
He added that the last time Iran used limpet mines against commercial vessels was in May 2019, when they attacked four ships anchored near Fujairah, followed by attacks on the tankers KOKUKA COURAGEOUS and FRONT ALTAIR the next month in the Gulf of Oman.
The return of limpet mines adds another layer of threat for ships navigating the strait.
Kelly cautioned that the situation could be especially dangerous for vessels waiting at anchor, where explosives could be placed below the waterline without the crew noticing.
He remarked, “A limpet mine below the waterline will cause significant damage and water ingress.”
Multiple Attacks Reported as Iran Claims Three Tankers Hit
The limpet mine attack was just one of several maritime security incidents reported in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
In a different UKMTO warning, a company security officer noted that another tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while leaving the strait at about 1600 UTC. Fortunately, there were no injuries to the crew or environmental damage.
Earlier on Thursday, UKMTO reported a vessel on fire approximately nine nautical miles north of Khasab. Authorities later identified this vessel as a dhow involved in a maritime security incident.
The dhow caught fire, tipped over, and sank, but the crew was safely evacuated, according to UKMTO.
This incident follows a U.S. military operation in which American forces reportedly destroyed a dhow suspected of providing information to Iran. However, no link between that operation and the sinking on Thursday has been confirmed.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed on Friday that three oil tankers caught fire and exploded while navigating what they referred to as unauthorized routes.
According to Iranian state media cited by Reuters, the IRGC stated that one tanker, carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil, had hit a mine. Reuters noted that they could not independently verify these claims.
Iran has consistently described attacks on ships using routes outside its control as mine strikes, but there is limited independent evidence supporting its wider claims about sea mines.
Attacks Concentrated Along Southern Transit Route
These recent incidents occur as the United States continues to coordinate commercial vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, including a southern route designed to keep shipping operations ongoing despite Iranian threats.
This route has increasingly drawn attacks. According to UKMTO's maritime security overview from October 30, 59 out of 81 reported projectile strikes since July 6 happened along the southern route.
The report also emphasized the challenges in getting a complete understanding of attacks in the region.
“UKMTO only reports incidents confirmed through primary sources; other incidents are known but cannot be independently verified,” the agency noted.
Since the conflict began on February 28, UKMTO has recorded 145 incidents related to the Iran-U.S. conflict within its reporting area, including 88 incidents involving vessels in the Strait of Hormuz up to October 28.
Despite the ongoing threat, commercial traffic has gradually been recovering. UKMTO reported 122 outbound and 155 inbound transits during its latest seven-day reporting period, up from 114 outbound and 127 inbound the previous week.
However, total traffic remains about 70% lower than pre-conflict levels, with about 80% of transits reported by U.S. Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping involving energy carriers.
These latest attacks highlight the difficulties in restoring normal shipping operations through the waterway. While military efforts have focused mainly on missiles, drones, and the threat of naval mines, the use of explosives attached directly to a merchant ship's hull introduces another risk for operators.