The Qatari LNG vessel reportedly caught fire following the incident. A recorded distress call captured the urgency of the situation as the ship’s captain radioed for help.
“Mayday mayday mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room,” the Rekayyat’s captain said in a recorded radio message.
Maritime security sources also reported that a Saudi-flagged oil tanker believed to be the supertanker Wedyan sustained damage off the coast of Oman. Officials have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the damage, and investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.
Qatar swiftly condemned the attack on its vessel, describing it as a serious breach of international law and a threat to the safety of commercial navigation.
According to CBS News, Qatari officials labeled the incident “a grave and explicit violation of the provisions of international law.”
Targeting the Qatari ship “constitutes a rejected aggression against the security and safety of international navigation, and the security of global energy supplies, and a grave and explicit violation of the provisions of international law, especially the rules that guarantee freedom of maritime navigation and safe passage in international straits,” Foreign Ministry representative Majed al-Ansari said.
The attacks come after Iran reportedly warned commercial vessels last week that they should follow routes approved by Tehran or risk military action. The warning heightened fears among shipping companies already navigating a region marked by growing military tensions.
Reuters cited one maritime source who said shipping operators now face difficult choices regardless of which route they take through the strategically vital waterway.
“Now if we use the 100 percent safe Iranian waters, it means we are dealing with Iranians and admitting the (strait) is under their control. If we pass through the U.S.-Oman (controlled channel), then you get hit,” one source said.
“The U.S. gives you permission to pass, but if something happens on the way, they then say, ‘it is your decision to keep moving or go back,’” the source added.
Compounding the danger, reports indicate that portions of the central Strait of Hormuz may remain hazardous because of Iranian naval mines, creating additional risks for commercial vessels attempting to transit the area safely.
The maritime attacks unfolded against the backdrop of continuing diplomatic tensions between Washington and Tehran. Iran signaled Tuesday that it has no intention of returning to negotiations outlined under its memorandum of understanding with the United States until after funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and only if rhetoric from Washington changes.
According to CBS News, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in a social media post that neither the Iranian people nor the country’s military would be intimidated.
He said neither the Iranian people nor the Islamic Republic’s military would be “moved by any threats.”
President Donald Trump also addressed the escalating situation on Monday, emphasizing that he still preferred a negotiated settlement while warning that military options remained available if diplomacy failed.
“We’d make a deal or we’re going to finish the job,” Trump said.
“I’d rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people,” Trump said. “We can knock down their bridges in one hour. We can knock out their energy supply.”
The reported attacks on commercial tankers are likely to intensify international scrutiny of security conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway vital to global commerce. Any prolonged disruption could have far-reaching consequences for energy markets, shipping operations, and regional stability as governments monitor developments and weigh their next steps.
