Two ships were struck by four unidentified projectiles late Thursday night near the Musandam Peninsula off the coast of Khasab, Oman. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the incident resulted in a fire on one of the vessels, while the status of the second ship remained unclear. The event was reported at approximately 11:10 p.m. Gulf Standard Time on September 10, 2026, occurring roughly four nautical miles west of Khasab. A master of a nearby vessel reported witnessing four projectiles impacting the two ships. UKMTO issued Warning 133-26, urging vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity.
As of the latest reports,
authorities have not identified the origin of the projectiles, the attackers, or the specific vessels involved. There is currently no confirmed information regarding the nationality of the crew members, casualties, or the ownership of the ships, and no official link to any nation or military group has been established.
The incident took place near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Following the incident,
shipping data from Kpler, cited by Reuters, recorded only seven commodity vessel transits through the Strait on September 10, significantly lower than the ten-day average of 15. Prior to current regional tensions, the Strait typically handled approximately 125 commercial vessels daily.
UKMTO has provided emergency contact numbers for vessels in the region, including +44 (0) 2392 222060, as well as the UKMTO Dubai contacts at +971 50 189 8389 and +971 4 309 4462.
Officials have advised crews and operators to follow established security protocols and rely only on verified information from shipping companies or consular channels regarding the safety of personnel.