Qatari LNG tanker awaits salvage after projectile strike near Strait of Hormuz

Key facts

• The Qatari LNG tanker Al Rekayyat was struck by a projectile near the Strait of Hormuz.
• A fire in the tanker's engine room is being extinguished, and all crew have been safely evacuated.
• The LNG tanks on the Al Rekayyat remain intact, with no breach reported.
• Qatar has blamed Iran for the attack and summoned its deputy ambassador.
• The U.S. military launched extensive strikes on Iran in retaliation for attacks on commercial ships.

The Qatari LNG tanker Al Rekayyat is stationary near the Strait of Hormuz awaiting salvage operations after being struck by a projectile, with efforts ongoing to extinguish a fire in its engine room. All crew have been safely evacuated, and the LNG tanks remain intact.

Qatar has officially blamed Iran for the attack, summoning the deputy Iranian ambassador to protest the incident and calling it a violation of international law. This marks the first time an LNG ship from Qatar has been struck since the start of the Iran war on February 28.

In response to previous attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military launched extensive strikes on Iran, targeting over 80 sites. Iran's top joint military command denounced the U.S. actions as aggression and threatened retaliation. The U.S. also revoked a license allowing Iran to sell oil, effective July 17, which led to a more than 3% rise in oil prices.