Three vessels were reportedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday (1/3/2026), amid Iran’s continuing retaliatory actions against the United States and Israel.

The British maritime security authority, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), stated that a ship off the coast of Oman was struck by an unidentified projectile above the waterline.

According to UKMTO, the vessel’s engine room was initially reported to be on fire, but the blaze has since been brought under control, as cited by AFP.

A separate incident involved another ship that was also hit by an unknown projectile, triggering a fire on board.

UKMTO said the fire has been extinguished and the vessel will resume its voyage.

Private maritime security firm Vanguard Tech identified the second ship as a tanker located about 17 nautical miles northwest of Mina Saqr, United Arab Emirates.

In a subsequent update, UKMTO reported that another projectile detonated very close to a third vessel approximately 35 nautical miles west of the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

UKMTO confirmed that all crew members on the affected ships are safe and unharmed.

Iran says one ship has sunk

On the same day, Iranian state television reported that an oil tanker sank after being fired upon while crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

The broadcaster claimed that the tanker, described as violating regulations and shot while attempting to pass through the Strait illegally, has now sunk. No further details were provided regarding the vessel’s ownership or the source of the gunfire.

The television station aired footage showing thick black smoke billowing from a burning tanker at sea.

The Strait of Hormuz is widely recognized as a crucial maritime corridor for global energy trade.

Roughly one-quarter of the world’s oil supply and one-fifth of liquefied natural gas shipments transit through these waters.

A day earlier, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had closed the shipping lane and warned that the area was unsafe due to US and Israeli airstrikes.