Two supertankers transporting Saudi crude oil were hit by unknown projectiles on Monday in the Strait of Hormuz.. The near-simultaneous attacks occurred near Khasab, Oman, further escalating the millitary confrontation between the United States and Iran.
The Sidr and Senegal Prosperity strikes near Khasab
The Saudi Arabian-flagged vessel Sidr was struck by unknown projectiles at approximately 3:52 p.m. ET, roughly 31 kilometrs northeast of Khasab, Oman. Minutes later, the Liberian-flagged Senegal Prosperity was reportedly hit by three projectiles in a similar location, according to shipping intelligence firms Marisks and Kpler. Both vessels had recently loaded two million barrels of Saudi crude at the Juaymah terminal.
While the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed that three projectiles hit a tanker in the area, the operators of the ships—Bahri for the Sidr and Sinokor for the Senegal Prosperity—have not yet issued official comments. Despite the strikes, all crew members on both vessels were reported safe, though the incidents have immediately driven global oil prices higher.
From Larak Island to Jordan air bases
These maritime attacks are the latest in a rapid sequence of military exchanges. U.S. Central Command recently carried out strikes on Iran, which the U.S. military claimed were necessary because Iran was preparing to launch sea mines via rockets into the Strait of Hormuz. This followed a U.S. attack on Iran's Larak Island on Sunday.
Tehran responded to the Larak Island strike by launching missiles overnight at two U.S. air bases located in Jordan. As reported by the source,a senior Iranian source told Reuters that while these exchanges have been a "limited and contained confrontation," Iran will deliver a harsh response if attacked again. This cycle of retaliation marks a shift from a conflict primarily fought through sanctions and blockades back into direct military action.
The 20% global oil supply risk in the Omani corridor
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical strategic waterways, carrying approximately one-fifth of the global oil supply. The current instability in the Omani corridor echoes previous eras of Gulf volatility, where the threat of a total blockade by Iran or the United States could trigger a global energy crisis. The current standoff has already sharply curtailed energy exports from the Gulf as both Washington and Tehran attempt to assert authority over the passage.
Market analysts warn that the tit-for-tat missile exchanges between the United States and Iran could further destabilize energy markets. Because the waterway remains contested, the risk of supply disruptions is no longer theoretical but an active threat to global economic stability, especially as oil prices reacted upward on Tuesday following threats from President Donald Trump to increase strikes against Iran.
The collapse of the June interim deal and the 60-day window
The current violence follows the failure of a diplomatic effort to stabilize the region. a June interim deal intended to halt fighting and establish a 60-day negotiation period passed without a final agreement.. Iran has stated it will only allow free navigation through the strait if the United States implements the terms of that original June agreement, which quickly unraveled.
Several critical questions remain unanswered. Specifically, it is still unknown who fired the projectiles at the Sidr and Senegal Prosperity, as the source describes them as "unknown projectiles." Furthermore, it remains unclear if mediators from Qatar and Oman have any remaining leverage to reopen the strait, or if the presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, signals a pivot toward Eastern alliances over Western diplomacy.
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