Qatar’s defence ministry reported that an oil tanker chartered by QatarEnergy was struck by an Iranian cruise missile on Wednesday while sailing in Qatari waters.
According to officials, as reported by Reuters, three missiles were launched from Iran toward Qatar. Two were successfully intercepted, while the third hit the Aqua 1 fuel tanker. No injuries were reported.
The vessel was about 17 nautical miles (31 km) north of Ras Laffan, a major industrial area that hosts the world’s largest gas facility. The impact caused damage above the waterline, but authorities, including the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and QatarEnergy, confirmed there was no environmental damage.
Tensions in the region are escalating, with increasing risks to maritime traffic as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran intensifies. Iran has recently targeted Gulf energy infrastructure in response to Israeli strikes on its own facilities. The conflict has already reduced Qatar’s LNG export capacity by 17%, raising concerns about energy supplies to Europe and Asia.
