Iran’s Tanker War Escalates: Five Ships Hit in Four Days as Oil Flows Hold
A brand-new LR2 tanker sustained engine room damage in the latest strike.
Iran’s maritime campaign in the Strait of Hormuz has intensified, with five tankers struck in just four days, including a brand-new LR2 vessel damaged in Sunday’s attack.
The Lipsi, a newly built LR2 tanker linked to a Greek operator and Chinese ownership, sustained engine room damage after an Iranian strike on Sunday. Vanguard Tech, a maritime tracking service, confirmed the vessel’s identity, while industry sources reported the attack disrupted propulsion systems.
Iran’s Strikes Disrupt Key Oil Routes as U.S. Deterrence Wanes: strait of hormuz
The Kuwaiti VLCC KAZIMAH III, struck on 1 October, was the second state-owned tanker hit in four days, despite neither appearing on the PGSA NCV list of sanctioned vessels.
Central Command’s Joint Maritime Information Center logged three separate incidents on Saturday alone. In the first, a drone flew down a tanker’s funnel, igniting a fire in the engine room and causing a brief blackout. The second vessel suffered port-quarter damage, forcing a tow, while the third lost propulsion entirely. countermeasures; the last publicized American strike on an Iranian-linked tanker occurred on 8 September.
“Confirmed Iranian strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz are at their highest level since the start of the war. Europe and other democracies need to be careful about overextending themselves via oil inventory releases.”
Joe Webster·Joe Webster
Tanker Traffic Persists Despite Rising Risks
Despite the escalation, tanker traffic through the U.S.-protected southern waterway continues. Naval analyst Tom Bike identified three disabled vessels near the Musandam Peninsula and at least four others making daylight transits on Sunday. Satellite imagery captured at 06:06 AM and 10:47 AM showed two struck tankers still adrift, while a third was towed toward Fujairah for repairs.
“They just keep going! 🇮🇷⚓ Several ships spotted TODAY 🛰️ transiting US 🇺🇸 Strait of Hormuz dangerous route at 06:06 AM on RADAR and 10:47 AM in true color. On RADAR satellite image circled in red are previous hit ships. Two still there and the other is being towed to Fujairah.”
Tom Bike·Tom Bike
The attacks extend beyond the Gulf. In the Black Sea, a Turkish-operated bulk carrier was disabled near Novorossiysk, with one crew member missing. Off Somalia, Puntland authorities recovered two hijacked tankers, though pirate networks remain active as the monsoon season ends. Meanwhile, a U.S.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, with Iran’s strikes testing the limits of international tolerance. While crude flows hold steady for now, the rapid escalation in attacks, coupled with dwindling U.S.
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