Two tankers struck in latest attacks in the Strait of Hormuz

Two tankers were hit by projectiles on July 7 in the Strait of Hormuz, the British military confirmed, marking the latest escalation in a series of attacks targeting vessels in the critical Persian Gulf chokepoint. One tanker, identified as the Qatari liquefied natural gas vessel *Al-Rekayyat*, caught fire after being struck off the coast of Oman near Limah. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported structural damage to the second tanker but no injuries. Iranian state television suggested the attack was carried out by Tehran, alleging the vessel ignored warnings, though it did not issue an official claim. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike as an “unacceptable attack” on international maritime navigation and global energy security, holding Iran “fully legally responsible.” Tehran has repeatedly insisted that only its approved route through the strait is safe, raising tensions amid disputes over transit fees and control of the waterway. The U.S. and Gulf Arab states reject Iran’s demands to charge passage fees, a move that would upend decades of free transit through the strait—a route that carries roughly 20% of the world’s traded oil and gas. Talks between the U.S. and Iran to reopen the strait fully remain stalled following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose funeral drew massive crowds in Qom. Meanwhile, the U.S. has warned Iran of severe consequences if diplomatic efforts fail, with President Donald Trump stating the U.S. could “knock down their bridges in one hour” or disrupt Iran’s energy supply. Investigations into the attacks are ongoing, and the UKMTO confirmed no environmental impact from the strikes.