Supertankers carrying Saudi oil attacked by unknown projectiles while crossing Strait of Hormuz

Two supertankers carrying Saudi crude were struck by projectiles while navigating through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, according to shipping tracking firms Marisks and Kpler. The incidents occurred within minutes of each other, marking an escalation in the threat environment within the Omani corridor, as per Marisks. Both vessels, the Saudi-flagged Sidr and the Liberian-flagged Senegal Prosperity, each loaded 2 million barrels of Saudi crude at the Juaymah terminal the previous week.

Saudi Aramco had resumed oil loadings and sales from within the strait in August. Iran and the US have both imposed blockades on the Strait of Hormuz, causing significant disruption to energy exports from the Gulf region as both nations vie for control over the waterway. Despite mediation efforts by Qatar, Oman, and others to reopen the strait, a deal has yet to be reached.

The recent attacks resulted in oil prices surging on Tuesday following US President Donald Trump's threat of additional strikes against Iran, following the first exchanges of fire since late July. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed the same incident, reporting three projectiles striking the tanker in the same location.

Bahri, the operator of Sidr, and Sinokor, the operator of Senegal Prosperity, declined to comment on the matter. Earlier reports suggested that a Saudi oil tanker was halted while transiting through the southern portion of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media.