Two Supertankers Hit by Unknown Projectiles in Strait of Hormuz

Two oil supertankers, the Sidr and the Senegal Prosperity, were struck by unknown projectiles while navigating the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime risk management firm Marisks on Tuesday. The incident occurred as tensions in the Middle East intensified, potentially jeopardizing any progress in restoring oil flows. The Sidr, operated by Bahri, a state shipping giant in Saudi Arabia, and the Senegal Prosperity, operated by Sinokor, a South Korean tanker fleet giant, were both attempting to leave the Persian Gulf near Oman when they were hit.

No casualties or environmental damage have been reported. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued an advisory on Monday, noting an incident 17 nautical miles east of Khasab, Oman, where a tanker reported being struck by three unknown projectiles while transiting the Strait. Iran claimed that a supertanker had caught fire after colliding with two naval mines in the southern Strait of Hormuz, though it did not identify the vessel or its crew.

Any vessel breaching Iranian security regulations while crossing the Strait would face similar consequences, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Oil prices climbed for the second day in a row on Tuesday, nearing $92 a barrel, as the market grew apprehensive about the potential impact of the heightened tensions on oil supplies from the region.