Vessel Hit by Projectile in Strait of Hormuz, Crew Safe

A vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile on the evening of September 28. The fire it caused was extinguished. All crew members were safe.

UK Maritime Trade Operations issued incident advisory 143-26 on September 29 after receiving a delayed third-party report of the strike. UKMTO did not disclose the vessel's name, flag, cargo, or type. No party claimed responsibility. The vessel remained underway after the fire was brought under control. No environmental impact was reported.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the world's seaborne oil and is the only route out of the Persian Gulf for the region's oil exporters. It has been the site of repeated projectile strikes and vessel detentions since Iran escalated its attacks on transiting vessels in mid-2026. In September alone, Iranian authorities expanded their non-compliant vessel blacklist to 81 vessels, threatened to destroy unauthorized traffic, and claimed to have targeted 19 vessels in a two-night period.

Iran's IRGC struck three vessels in the same waters in mid-September, warning that vessels ignoring its navigation rules risked destruction. This latest incident follows the same pattern, though responsibility has not been formally attributed.