Two tankers struck off Saudi Arabia and Oman
UKMTO said a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu on 24 August, starting a fire on the main deck. Later the same day an oil tanker was struck and disabled 9 nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman. Named attacks on hulls — not a claim that the Red Sea or Hormuz is closed.
On 24 August 2026, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations issued Warning 119-26 after a company security officer reported a tanker struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, at 06:37 UTC. The hit caused a fire on the main deck. UKMTO said all crew were safe and accounted for and that no environmental impact had been reported. Vessels were advised to transit with caution. Receipt: https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260824-ukmto_warning_119-26.pdf
Later the same day, at 20:25 UTC, UKMTO issued Warning 120-26 after the master of an oil tanker reported an unknown projectile strike 9 nautical miles northeast of Ash Shishah, Oman. The hit damaged the engine room and disabled the vessel. Crew were reported safe; environmental impact was unknown at the time of the report. Authorities were investigating. Receipt: https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260824-ukmto_warning_120-26.pdf. That is two named attacks on tankers in one day — one on the Red Sea approach to a Saudi oil port, one in the Gulf of Oman near the Musandam approaches. It is tighter shipping risk on those hulls and lanes, not a claim that the Red Sea or the Strait of Hormuz is closed, and it is distinct from the 24 August Treasury/OFAC sanctions campaign already on the wire.
Sources: UKMTO Warning 119-26, 24 August 2026, https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260824-ukmto_warning_119-26.pdf ; UKMTO Warning 120-26, 24 August 2026, https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260824-ukmto_warning_120-26.pdf ; UKMTO recent incidents, https://www.ukmto.org/recent-incidents. Xinhua’s 25 August write-through of the Yanbu report is a secondary link-out only: http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_the_Wire/2026-08/25/content_118662363.shtml. UKMTO did not name the vessels, flags, or attackers.