Iran's Revolutionary Guards Attack Commercial Ships Near Strait of Hormuz, Escalating Regional Tensions

Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched at least two missile strikes targeting commercial vessels in the strategic Strait of Hormuz overnight between Monday and Tuesday, according to two U.S. officials. The attacks caused significant damage to two ships but resulted in no casualties. Concurrently, a Qatari-owned liquefied natural gas tanker was hit on its port side near the engine room, causing a fire while transiting the Gulf of Oman.

The British Maritime Security Agency reported the tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile about 15 kilometers east of Lima, Oman, leading to a deck fire. The vessel, named Al Raqaiyat and operated by Qatar's Nakilat, one of the world's largest gas shipping fleets, had its crew safely gathered on the starboard side during the incident. No environmental damage or injuries have been reported so far.

These attacks come shortly after indirect U.S.-Iran peace talks ended without progress, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create diplomatic space. The escalation highlights growing risks to freedom of navigation in the narrow strait, through which roughly 20% of the world's oil supply passes. The incidents follow recent direct maritime threats from Iran's Revolutionary Guards against civilian ships, including warnings of missile and drone attacks.

U.S. Central Command has yet to issue an official response. Qatar Energy, Nakilat, and Qatar's international media office have not responded to inquiries outside normal business hours. The rising tensions coincide with a defiant stance from Tehran following the massive funeral of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed threat to "finish the job" militarily if a deal with Iran is not reached. The deteriorating situation suggests the collapse of fragile maritime security arrangements and a shift from diplomacy to military confrontation in the region.