A commercial tanker sailing north of Qatar was struck by multiple projectiles on Wednesday, resulting in reported casualties. The attack occurred as maritime security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest weekly level since the conflict began, driving Brent crude oil prices above $100 per barrel amid ongoing supply disruptions.
Projectiles Strike Tanker Off Qatar Coast
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported being struck by multiple projectiles
while positioned about 51 nautical miles, or 94 kilometers, north of Madinat ash Shamal. The vessel sustained hits within Qatar’s exclusive economic zone, a location maritime security specialists noted as unusual for the recent wave of shipping strikes.
Authorities launched investigations into the incident, which left an unspecified number of individuals injured or killed. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations did not identify the ship’s origin, flag, or cargo type. The International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency, reported that since July at least nine sailors have died, 18 have been injured, and three are missing.
Escalating Attacks Across the Strait of Hormuz
An inbound liquefied petroleum gas tanker took a hit from an unidentified projectile at 1716 UTC during that Monday sequence, and a crude oil tanker was subsequently struck at 1907 UTC in less than two hours. Another delayed report noted a crude oil tanker struck above the waterline by an unknown projectile on October 3.
Tehran officials issued further warnings regarding the waterway.
Middle East Crude Shipments Drop Below Prewar Benchmarks
Despite persistent threats, seaborne oil flows from the Middle East have experienced a volatile recovery. Figures released Monday by Kpler showed crude shipments via Hormuz averaged roughly 10.3 million barrels per day for the week ending Saturday—about 23% under the prewar benchmark of 13.5 million bpd—whereas Windward calculated crude passing through Hormuz at 9-10 million bpd versus a prewar baseline of 14.5 million bpd. Increased shipments originating from the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea are compensating for the drop, sustaining overall crude export volumes regionally.
To bypass high-risk zones, operators established complex logistics chains. Tankers frequently bring crude through Hormuz and then transfer the oil onto ships in the Gulf of Oman that haul it to Asia.
The operational complexity and soaring insurance premiums pushed financial burdens higher. According to London’s Baltic Exchange figures, the price to transport crude from the inner Gulf to China climbed to an all-time high of $1.3 million per day on Monday, marking a dramatic surge from last year’s average of roughly $60,000 daily as the pool of vessel operators willing to transit Hormuz shrank. Tanker expert Bockmann noted that volumes are getting through at a time of extremely high maritime risk.
Indian Crew Members Suffer Injuries in Maritime Attack
The violence directly impacted regional crews and diplomatic channels. The MT On Peace had a crew of 19, including 17 Indians, and 12 crew members were injured and received treatment in the city of Khasab, with Omani authorities assisting in the evacuation.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs condemned the attack and stated that ongoing disruptions to regional maritime navigation remain a source of grave concern for New Delhi, reiterating its call for an immediate cessation of these attacks and expressing gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman for its support. Concurrently, European diesel prices surged after International Energy Agency members agreed to accelerate previously announced oil stock releases, prioritizing diesel amid tight markets and supply disruptions from the Iran war.
Brent crude prices rose on Wednesday, topping $100 per barrel amid mixed messaging and supply concerns, with Brent crude rising 0.8% to over $101 a barrel in early Asian trading. US President Donald Trump has been studying ways to tame domestic fuel prices ahead of midterm elections, and a number of consuming nations announced plans to release millions of barrels of emergency stockpiles in a bid to loosen the market, while the United States Central Command announced it redirected the 130th commercial vessel on October 5 as part of naval blockade enforcement against ships attempting to enter or depart Iranian ports.