Iran attacks trigger tanker turn‑backs in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran launched drone and missile attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on 7 July, damaging the Qatari LNG carrier Al‑Rekayyat, the Saudi oil tanker Wedyan and a third ship. No casualties were reported, but the Al‑Rekayyat suffered a fire in its engine room that was later contained.

In response, the United States carried out strikes on Iranian targets and President Donald Trump warned of a possible blockade. The heightened threat prompted at least four oil and LNG tankers to abandon transit attempts: three empty Qatari LNG carriers (Al Ghariya, Duhail and Al Ruwais) and the India‑flagged VLCC Lila Vadinar, which was fully loaded with two million barrels of crude from Kuwait. Vessel‑tracking data from Kpler, LSEG and Reuters confirmed the U‑turns on 7–8 July.

The escalation has also left an estimated 63 million barrels of Iranian crude and related oil products stuck on tankers anchored from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait, as Iran scrambles to move exports amid renewed U.S. sanctions. Qatar’s foreign ministry formally accused Iran of the attack, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to global energy security. Saudi Arabia issued a similar condemnation. Maritime authorities, including the UKMTO and the Joint Maritime Information Center, have raised threat levels for vessels in the region.