Qatari LNG and Saudi tankers struck in Strait of Hormuz

A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker and a Saudi crude oil tanker were struck in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in attacks that have reignited fears over the security of the world's most critical energy shipping route. The incidents occurred despite an interim ceasefire between the United States and Iran and have prompted a sharp diplomatic response from Qatar.

The Qatari vessel, the Al Rekayyat, sent out a dramatic distress call after being hit on its port side by what its captain described as a drone. The attack caused a fire in the engine room, which filled with smoke, disabling the ship's engines and steering. The crew was reported safe and was evacuated. A separate incident damaged a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, the Wedyan, off the coast of Oman. Maritime security sources said the exact cause of that strike was not immediately known.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, condemned the attack on the Al Rekayyat, calling it an unacceptable assault on international navigation and global energy security and a grave violation of international law. He stated that Qatar holds Iran fully legally responsible for the attack and demanded that...