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A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile off the coast of Oman early Saturday, damaging its engine room and leaving the vessel "not under command," according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO).
In a warning notice, UKMTO said it received a report from the vessel's company security officer describing an incident approximately 11 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman.
The tanker was struck by an unknown projectile that damaged the engine room, according to the notice, leaving the vessel not under command.
UKMTO said the regional coast guard had been informed and authorities were investigating, advising vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.
UKMTO said there were no reported casualties or environmental impact from the incident.
The flag of the targeted vessel remains unclear, and no further identifying details about the tanker were available.
Lima sits on Oman's Musandam Peninsula at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
The incident comes amid heightened security tensions around the strait following the military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran.
Iran has effectively maintained control over navigation through Hormuz since the outbreak of the war on February 28, requiring vessels to obtain permission and pay transit fees before using the waterway.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has attacked and stopped a number of vessels attempting to transit Hormuz, insisting in recent days that Iran has "full control" of the waterway.
Maritime trade tracking firm Kpler said on Friday that traffic through Hormuz has dropped "sharply".
"With U.S. and Iranian public positions still at odds, operators are closely monitoring traffic volumes, routing behaviour and any diplomatic developments that could reshape risk across regional shipping lanes in the days ahead," the firm said on X.
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