Two vessels hit near Oman’s Khasab as Gulf shipping risks rise
Fresh attack near Oman’s Musandam heightens risks for Strait of Hormuz traffic
Four unidentified projectiles struck two vessels near Khasab, Oman, late on Thursday (Sept. 10), setting one vessel ablaze and adding to a rapidly escalating series of attacks threatening commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the vessels were struck about 4 nautical miles west of Khasab.
One caught fire, while the condition of the second vessel was not immediately known. The incident was recorded in UKMTO Warning 133-26, issued at 1910 UTC (11:10 PM GST on Sept. 10, 2026).
The master of another vessel reported seeing the projectiles hit the two ships from about six nautical miles away.
UKMTO has not attributed the attack to Iran, the United States or any other party. Authorities are investigating and commercial vessels are being urged to exercise extreme caution.
The location is particularly sensitive. Khasab sits on Oman's Musandam Peninsula, immediately south of the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has already been disrupted by the escalating US-Iran conflict.
UKMTO has reported a string of recent incidents around Khasab, including vessels struck by unknown projectiles and explosions near ships.
On Sept. 9, the agency also reported several merchant vessels subjected to disabling fire in the northern Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
The latest attack comes after Iran and the US exchanged attacks on oil tankers, while Iran threatened further restrictions around Hormuz. The maritime confrontation has sharply reduced shipping through the chokepoint and pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel.
Khasab is effectively at the gateway to Hormuz. Repeated attacks in its vicinity could further deter commercial vessels, raise war-risk insurance costs and deepen the disruption of one of the world's most important energy corridors.
