The UK Maritime Trade Operations announced on Wednesday 30 September 2026 that it had received a report stating that a liquefied natural gas carrier was hit by an unknown projectile while inside the Strait of Hormuz. The incident is under investigation to determine its circumstances, the nature of the projectile and the party that launched it.
In a statement, the authority said a source it described as reliable had informed it that the carrier was struck on Tuesday 29 September. It added that the authorities had begun investigating the incident, including determining the type and source of the projectile used, without announcing any preliminary findings on the party potentially responsible.
Warning to vessels and investigation into attack on carrier
The UK authority urged vessels in the area or planning to pass through the strait to exercise caution while transiting, and asked them to report any suspicious activity they observed. No party had claimed responsibility for targeting the carrier by the time the maritime warning was issued. The incident came days after Iranian authorities warned shipowners against allowing their vessels to be forced to sail through what they described as “unauthorised routes”.
The Iranian Strait of Hormuz Management Authority said using those routes could expose vessels, their owners, masters and crews to material and human losses, in addition to the possibility of restrictions being imposed on their future passage through the strait. The Iranian authority said it had received reports that some ship charterers were forcing vessels to use unauthorised routes.
Possible restrictions on non-compliant companies
It added that if the charterers were found to have violated the rules, the companies concerned would be placed on a non-compliance list, and restrictions would be imposed on the passage of all vessels belonging to those companies through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is a key focal point in the confrontation between the United States and Iran, as freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway is linked to the course of the war and negotiations between the two sides.
Washington maintains that Tehran should not control the waterways leading to the Strait of Hormuz or impose fees on vessels using them. The US position also covers waterways passing through Omani territory, as the United States rejects their being subject to Iranian control or transit fees being imposed on them.
Iran, meanwhile, is demanding that vessels obtain prior permission and follow a shipping route it approves when passing through the area.
