On April 18, 2023, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported three maritime security incidents involving commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz within a short span of three hours. The agency emphasized that the regional security situation remains unstable, with ongoing military activities posing significant risks to commercial shipping.
In the first incident, a tanker was approached by two gunboats from Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) approximately 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The crew reported that the vessels opened fire without any prior communication via VHF radio. Fortunately, both the tanker and its crew were unharmed.
The second incident involved a container ship that was struck by an unidentified projectile around 25 nautical miles northeast of Oman, resulting in damage to several containers. However, no fires or environmental impacts were reported from this event.
In the third incident, a commercial vessel reported observing a splash near its location while transiting about three nautical miles east of Oman, but further details regarding damage or threats were not immediately available. UKMTO advised all vessels in the area to exercise heightened caution due to the ongoing risks.
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