A cargo vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The incident marks a sharp escalation in maritime violence at one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with reports indicating that oil tankers are once again turning back or rerouting to avoid the corridor.
The renewed targeting of commercial shipping has immediate implications for global energy markets.
Brent crude prices rose in the session as traders priced in the heightened risk of supply disruption.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil consumption, and any sustained interference with transit routes threatens to tighten physical supplies and widen insurance premiums for tanker operators.
This development follows a period of heightened tension in the region, with Iran previously striking a vessel in the same waters.