Gulf Crisis Deepens After Hormuz Oil Tanker Attack

The Gulf Crisis is deepening following the oil tanker attack in Hormuz, as reported on 2026-07-08.

Sources: Express News

The United States has declared the Strait of Hormuz to be extremely dangerous for ships. Separately, Bahrain has condemned alleged Iranian attacks on Saudi and Qatari oil tankers.

Sources: Capital TV Dunya News

Three tankers were reportedly hit in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, the Al Rekayyat, which is now at risk of explosion. Qatar has directly blamed Iran for the attack on the Al Rekayyat, stating it was struck overnight by a drone, causing a fire in its engine room. The crew has been safely evacuated.

Maritime security sources also reported that a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, believed to be the supertanker Wedyan, sustained damage off Oman, though the cause remains unclear.

In a recorded radio call, the captain of the Al Rekayyat reported being hit by a drone on the port side, top of the engine room, with the engine room on fire and full of smoke. Qatar’s foreign ministry summoned Iran’s deputy ambassador to hand over a protest note, demanding urgent clarifications and measures to prevent recurrence. Foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari condemned the incident as an unacceptable attack on international navigation and global energy supplies, violating international law.

Tehran has not yet commented or claimed responsibility. A US official, speaking anonymously, indicated initial signs suggested Iran had fired at three commercial vessels. It is unclear if these include another tanker reportedly struck by a drone while transiting the strait, as reported by UKMTO.

Pakistan News will update this story as more confirmed details become available.

Sources: Business Recorder