Tanker struck 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah — UKMTO confirms projectile hit

An unknown projectile struck a commercial tanker at anchor 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah in the UAE on Day 18, causing minor structural damage with no injuries. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) confirmed the incident. Reuters and multiple wire services reported the strike. Fujairah is the UAE's primary east-coast port and the only UAE port with direct Indian Ocean access — a critical bunkering and ship-to-ship transfer hub for vessels routing around Hormuz restrictions. The strike follows a Day 17 IRGC drone attack on Fujairah's oil storage zone. The combination of the Day 17 Fujairah oil storage strike and this Day 18 tanker hit establishes a pattern of Iranian targeting of Gulf of Oman shipping and infrastructure east of the strait — extending pressure to the alternative routing corridor that vessels have been using to avoid Hormuz.

Key facts

• •UKMTO confirms unknown projectile strikes tanker 23nm east of Fujairah
• •Minor structural damage — no injuries reported
• •Fujairah: UAE's only Indian Ocean-access port, key bunkering hub for Hormuz-routing vessels
• •Follows Day 17 IRGC drone strike on Fujairah oil storage zone
• •Pattern: Iranian targeting now extends to Gulf of Oman shipping — not just Hormuz