Another vessel allegedly under attack:
In what could be the latest attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz a vessel is reported to be on fire.
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The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that military authorities reported that a vessel was on fire 8nm northwest of Kuzmar, Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. “The cause of the fire has not been verified at this time,” it said.
No further details on the incident were available. “Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities investigate.”
As of 19 July the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) said there had been 11 Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz since 25 June and the threat level remained at Severe “with deliberate hostile action assessed as highly likely under current conditions”.
“Recent confirmed incidents reinforce that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance. IRGC attacks, hailing, and routing pressure continue, particularly for AIS-active vessels,” JMIC said.
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Iran’s Revolutionary Guard had earlier claimed that two oil tankers were blown up after attempting to transit through the southern route of the strait, but there has been no independent confirmation of this and it is unclear if the IRGC was referring to this vessel.
Source:
- Seatrade Maritime News; July 20, 2026; https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/vessel-on-fire-in-hormuz-caution-advised
- The Guardian; live update as of July 20, 2026; https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jul/20/us-iran-war-live-updates-strikes-strait-of-hormuz-middle-east-crisis-latest-news
