Attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have continued despite a more optimistic assessment of the conflict from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Footage was published earlier this week depicting a burning tanker off the coast of Oman, with satellite imagery from Sunday, November 8, showing a thick plume of black smoke from the same location.
U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, currently forward deployed with 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, fire reduced range practice rockets alongside U.S. Soldiers and Republic of Korea soldiers at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, Republic of Korea, March 31, 2026. KMEP is a semi-annual exercise that provides opportunities for ROK Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps units to train together, improving their combined capabilities to deter threats and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Logan Smith)
The strikes follow a month that saw more attacks on shipping than any other since the war began at the end of February.
Tanker Burns Near Omani Coast
Reuters verified footage posted Sunday showing a Navig8 tanker burning near Oman, with confirmation of the damaged vessel coming from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite.
Navig8 manages the vessel, although neither the company nor its majority owner, ADNOC Logistics and Services, replied to Reuters’ request for comment.
Iranian state media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy (IRGC), said three tankers had been hit for using “unauthorized routes” through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported another tanker strike on Tuesday, November 10, 19 nautical miles northeast of Lima, Oman. UKMTO added that the crew was safe and no environmental impact was reported.
(Dec. 01, 2020) – The guided-missile destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) launches a Block V Tomahawk, the weapon’s newest variant, during a missile exercise. This event marked the first time a Block V Tomahawk missile was operationally tested, marking the Navy’s transition to a more advanced capability for the fleet. Block V includes an upgrade that will enhance navigation performance and provide robust and reliable communications. Chafee is currently assigned to Carrier Strike Group ONE and is homeported in Pearl Harbor. (U.S. Navy photo by Ens. Sean Ianno/Released)
Earlier today (Wednesday, November 11), UKMTO issued another warning about a tanker incident in the Strait of Hormuz, with the crew’s status, damage and environmental consequences initially unknown.
U.S. Naval Blockade Continues with Vessel Struck
On Saturday, November 7, the U.S. Central Command said it had “disabled a vessel in the Gulf of Oman” after it had ignored “repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times.”
“A U.S. military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of St. Kitts-flagged M/V Huda, disabling the ship after CENTCOM forces directed the crew to abandon targeted spaces.
The cargo vessel tried to depart regional waters after visiting an Iranian port,” CENTCOM said in a press release.
It continued: “CENTCOM continues to enforce America’s naval blockade against Iran strictly. Enforcement actions since July have resulted in U.S. forces redirecting 147 commercial vessels that complied and disabling five merchant ships that refused to comply.”
CENTCOM added that it has so far destroyed 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers it claims were part of the IRGC’s “multibillion-dollar shadow network,” and advised vessels near Iranian coastal areas to heed blockade warnings.
Energy Infrastructure Targeted After Month of Intensified Strikes
A total of 37 ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz last month, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Throughout the month, the IRGC intensified strikes against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to the highest number in a calendar month since March, when 22 were struck. On October 22, the IRGC claimed that seven tankers had been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz — the highest single-day tally of the conflict so far.
The attacks have continued into November, with regional energy infrastructure also damaged. On Saturday, footage emerged showing damage to Saudi Aramco’s office building in Riyadh after strikes by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The Saudi Energy Ministry confirmed the damage was limited, and added that no one was injured or killed.
Strikes Continue Despite U.S. Optimism
Attacks have continued despite a more optimistic tone from U.S. President Donald Trump.
At an impromptu press conference on Monday, Trump said that “Iran, militarily, is effectively over,” and that there is “positive momentum” behind ongoing discussions to end a conflict that is now into its ninth month.
“We’re just keeping it the status quo,” the president said. “And we’re doing that really at the behest of countries that are their neighbors.”
While a renewed military offensive against Iran remains “highly unlikely,” Trump said the U.S. was “locked and loaded” should further strikes be required.
The president made the remarks after meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheik Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House the same day. Qatar, a U.S. ally, has played a key role in mediation efforts.
It is one of several Gulf states whose seaborne exports have been limited by the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil prices fell following Trump’s comments. Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, fell below $90 per barrel on Tuesday for the first time in more than two months, but has since climbed to above $92 per barrel as of 9 a.m. EST on November 11.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
