US Reveals Identity of Tanker Hit in Hormuz as Bahrain Drone Attack Details Emerge

A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity identified the tanker struck by an Iranian suicide drone in the Strait of Hormuz as the Panama-flagged oil tanker Kiko, according to The New York Times. The attack took place on Saturday and caused a direct hit to the ship's upper deck.

Tracking data showed that Kiko is a large vessel, about 335 meters long. It had left Qatar's Al-Shaheen oil field on Thursday carrying valuable cargo and was scheduled to arrive on Sunday at the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Despite the structural damage, the tanker remained stable and continued toward its destination.

The same U.S. official also said Iran carried out another attack aimed at Bahrain. That operation involved at least two suicide drones. One was intercepted and shot down by ground-based air defenses, while the second got through but crashed in a remote area of a local airport without causing casualties or damage.

The newly disclosed details point to a broader Iranian campaign against shipping routes and airspace in the Persian Gulf, and they increase international alertness over possible follow-up responses by allies in the region.