Ras Laffan, Qatar. A tanker off Qatar was hit by two projectiles, one of which caused a fire that has since been extinguished and another that remains unexploded in the vessel’s engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Wednesday.
Incident location and vessel condition
UKMTO said the vessel was struck about 17 nautical miles (31 km) north of Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial hub. The incident caused damage above the waterline, while the crew was reported safe and no environmental impact was reported.
Investigation and source of projectiles
UKMTO said it was unable to confirm the source of the projectiles and that investigations were ongoing.
Regional context and recent incidents
The incident comes amid growing threats to maritime traffic as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran intensifies across the region. Kuwait said on Tuesday that one of its fully loaded oil tankers was targeted off Dubai, triggering a fire. Maritime authorities have also reported multiple security incidents affecting vessels in Gulf waters in recent days.
What measures do you think should be prioritised to improve vessel security in Gulf waters?
