Tug Struck by Two Projectiles Northeast of Khor Fakkan, UKMTO Says

A tug sailing southbound northeast of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates was struck by two unknown projectiles on Sunday, October 18, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. The tug was damaged but kept moving on its route. One minor casualty was reported.

UKMTO, which is affiliated with the British navy, said authorities are investigating. It advised vessels in the area to transit with caution and to report any suspicious activity. The agency did not name the tug, did not say what kind of projectiles hit it, and did not give a time for the strike in its first report.

Reuters reported the UKMTO account on Sunday morning. ANI carried the same UKMTO statement, which the agency posted on X: "UKMTO has received a report of an incident northeast of Khor Fakkan, UAE. A tug travelling southbound has reported being struck by 2 unknown projectiles. The tug has sustained damage but is continuing on its route. One minor casualty has been reported."

Second strike in two days

The Khor Fakkan strike was the second UKMTO projectile report in the area in two days. On Saturday, October 17, a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 68 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia, UKMTO said in a time-late report. All crew were reported safe and were evacuated. There was no reported environmental impact at the time of that report, ANI said.

Khor Fakkan sits on the UAE east coast, overlooking the Gulf of Oman and outside the Strait of Hormuz. That position has made the port a busy alternative route for cargo while shipping inside the Gulf faces repeated attacks. A damaged tug still able to sail is a limited result for whoever fired, but the strike shows that vessels outside the strait are also being hit.

A pattern UKMTO says is undercounted

In its weekly maritime security report published on Friday, UKMTO recorded 12 attacks in the week ending October 16, including 10 in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Persian Gulf and one in the Gulf of Oman. The agency warned that the real number could be higher, saying most vessels that are targeted refuse to report incidents to it.

No group had claimed responsibility for the Khor Fakkan strike in the first reports on Sunday. The identity of the tug and the nature of the damage were still unknown at that stage.

ANI placed the strike in the wider fight between the United States and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a large share of the world oil and gas supply. At a CBS town hall this weekend, Vice President JD Vance said petrol prices would be three times as high if the US Navy were not keeping oil and gas moving out of the strait, and he accused Iran of trying to choke off world energy supply. The US military has said 97 percent of vessels seeking to transit the strait have passed through safely, ANI reported.

For crews in the Gulf of Oman, the practical message on Sunday was the one UKMTO gave: keep moving with caution, and report anything suspicious at once.