Attacks on shipping in the Middle East resumed after a nine-day pause, with two incidents reported on Monday. This occurred as the United States pressured Iran to agree to a peace deal to end a conflict that has lasted over a month and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.

Attack on Crude Tanker

The very large crude carrier Al Salmi, owned by the Kuwait Oil Tanker Company, was struck by an unknown projectile approximately 31 nautical miles northwest of Dubai. The attack caused a fire, which was subsequently contained. All crew members were accounted for and safe, with no reported environmental impact. The vessel was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil destined for Qingdao, China, and was signalling "China cargo" over AIS, indicating it was from a country granted safe passage by Iran through the Strait of Hormuz. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Attack on Container Ship

A separate incident involved a container ship off Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, which reported two unknown projectiles hitting the water nearby. The crew was safe, and there was no damage to the ship. The vessel was not identified.

Context and Escalation

These attacks broke a lull since the last reported incident on March 21. The Monday attack brought the total number of UKMTO-reported incidents, including near misses, to 25, with at least 20 vessels having been hit. The incidents occurred amid a slight increase in vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on the preceding Friday and Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran to agree to a ceasefire and reopen the strait, threatening attacks on Iranian infrastructure if it refused.