A Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier and a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker were struck by projectiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on 7 July 2026, triggering fires, crew evacuations and warnings of a potential explosion. The Qatari vessel, Al-Rakiyat, owned by Nakilat, was hit on the port side above the engine room, according to a distress call recorded by Reuters. Maritime security sources said the crew was evacuated safely but the ship remained at risk of detonation due to the intensity of the blaze. The Saudi tanker, identified in shipping data as the VLCC Wadian, also sustained damage. No casualties were reported, but both vessels were rendered inoperable in the immediate aftermath.

Qatar’s foreign ministry summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador in Doha and handed over a formal protest note, describing the incident as a “rejected assault” on international navigation and a “grave and explicit violation” of international law. Doha demanded that Tehran immediately cease all practices that threaten regional security and provide urgent clarifications. The United Arab Emirates issued a statement condemning what it called an “aggressive Iranian attack” and expressed full solidarity with Qatar, citing a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2817. According to US officials cited by Axios, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired at least two missiles at the commercial vessels. Iranian state television, quoting unnamed sources, indicated Tehran was behind the operation, though no official confirmation was issued.

The attacks directly threaten the flow of energy through a chokepoint that normally carries one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies. Shipping insurers and maritime operators in London and Singapore are expected to reassess risk premiums, while energy traders in Rotterdam and Tokyo monitored the situation for potential supply disruptions. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that the Al-Rakiyat incident was the third strike on shipping in the area within 24 hours, following a separate drone attack on a tanker that caused minor structural damage.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint since late February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. Tehran responded by closing the waterway, and a series of tit-for-tat strikes followed. In mid-June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding brokered by Qatar and Pakistan, which included an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of the strait. Subsequent technical talks in Switzerland were described by mediators as encouraging, but the latest attacks underscore the fragility of that process. Iran has consistently maintained that security of the strait is the sole responsibility of littoral states and has warned extra-regional powers against military deployments. Qatar has reserved the right to take further measures under international law, while Iran has yet to provide the requested explanations. The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the incident in the coming days.