Three Oil Tankers Struck by Unknown Projectiles in Strait of Hormuz

Three commercial vessels carrying crude oil and refined products came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz this week, marking a sharp escalation in attacks on shipping traffic through one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.

All three Liberia-flagged tankers were transiting the waterway on Tuesday when they were hit by projectiles, according to shipping intelligence firm Marisks. The incidents came to light late Wednesday as the company released its findings. What made the strikes particularly notable: each vessel had deliberately disabled its Automatic Identification System transponder—the standard tracking equipment that allows maritime authorities to monitor ship movements—apparently to slip through the narrow passage undetected.

Which Vessels Were Hit

The three tankers represent different segments of the oil trade. The Al Ruwais, an oil products carrier, had recently offloaded diesel cargo through a ship-to-ship transfer near Sohar, Oman, in late September, according to tracking data from analytics firm Kpler. The Mersin Prosperity, a very large crude carrier operated by ADNOC Logistics & Services, had moved roughly 2 million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude to another vessel during a similar transfer in mid-September. The Sinbad, an Aframax-sized tanker, had loaded refined products at Saudi Arabia's Jubail port in early September.

ADNOC Logistics & Services, which manages two of the three vessels, declined to comment on the incidents. Anglo-Eastern Tanker Management, which oversees Sinbad, did not immediately respond to requests for information.