The oil tanker that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz was moving on Thursday night when it was targeted by the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with a sticky mine. This attack took place approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, near the Musandam Peninsula.
Details of the Attack
At around 22:12 GMT, the attackers approached the tanker using a small boat and attached two explosive devices to its hull. Following the explosion of these devices, a fire broke out in the tanker’s engine room, leading to the suspension of the ship's operations.
Read more: Support aircraft arrive at Diego Garcia base amid tensions with Iran
Fortunately, the damage was above the waterline, which reduced the risk of sinking. The crew managed to extinguish the fire, and the tanker continued on its course.
Expert Analysis
Babak Taghavi, a security analyst working with the Greek Defense Industry publication, stated that the attackers were members of the special forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Taghavi noted that they used the Maham 7 sticky mine (weighing 220 kg) to damage the tanker.
On the same day, another tanker reported an unknown project in the same area of the Strait of Hormuz around 16:00 GMT. No reports of casualties from this incident have been sent to the UKMTO.
Another Incident in the Area
On Thursday morning, around 03:00 GMT, a dhow caught fire and sank north of Khasab. Regional security officials confirmed this incident, but the status of its crew is unclear.
Analysts believe that the actual scale of attacks in this area is likely greater than what is reported. Martin Kelly from the EOS Risk Group stated, "It has now become clear that companies are not reporting attacks to the UKMTO/NCAGS as they used to, so the volume of attacks is not accurate." He also noted a decrease in Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 to 48 hours, suggesting that this reduction may be related to preparations for renewed conflict with the United States before or after the midterm elections on November 3.
Read more: Collision of the Mein Schiff 3 cruise ship with the MSC Victorine container ship in Bremerhaven · South Korea is considering options for sending forces to the Strait of Hormuz
