Tensions Rise in Strait of Hormuz as UKMTO Reports Vessel Hit, Iran Claims Two Tankers Hit Mines

LONDON, Nov 1: Maritime security concerns intensified in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a merchant vessel had been struck by an unknown projectile, while Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claimed that two oil tankers exploded after hitting mines in the strategic waterway.

In an advisory issued on November 1, UKMTO said it had received a report of an incident at 1509 UTC in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, the master of a merchant vessel relayed a Mayday distress call over VHF Channel 16, stating that another vessel had been struck by an unknown projectile.

UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

Separately, Iran's IRGC Navy said two oil tankers had exploded after striking mines while navigating what it described as an "unauthorized route" through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported Sunday.

The Iranian military force claimed that the vessels had entered a route that was not authorised for navigation and subsequently struck mines.

However, the circumstances surrounding the reported tanker explosions, including the identities and nationalities of the vessels, were not immediately established.

It was also unclear whether the Iranian claim concerning the two tankers was connected to the separate incident reported by UKMTO involving an unknown projectile.

The developments come amid heightened maritime security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically important shipping routes and a critical passage for international oil and gas supplies.

UKMTO urged commercial vessels to remain vigilant and follow security advisories while investigations into the reported incident continue.