Commercial Vessels Hit Near UAE and Oman as Strait of Hormuz Faces Electronic Warfare and Houthi Threats.
Projectiles. Fires at sea. Ships disappearing from radar. The world’s most vital oil artery is under pressure.
The Strait of Hormuz — a narrow passage carrying roughly 20 percent of global oil and gas exports — became a new flashpoint Sunday as maritime authorities reported explosions, vessel damage and widespread GPS interference following US–Israeli strikes on Iran.
Shipping alerts from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) described multiple incidents labeled as “attacks.” One vessel west of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates was rocked by an explosion from an unidentified projectile. Another tanker north of Muscat, Oman, was struck above the waterline, igniting a fire later brought under control. A third vessel northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, was also reportedly hit and set ablaze.
Beyond physical damage, electronic warfare has intensified. Maritime intelligence firm Windward reported significant disruption to GPS and Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals affecting more than 1,000 vessels. Ships near Iran’s Bandar Abbas port were reportedly showing false positions — appearing at airports, inland locations and even near critical infrastructure — complicating navigation in already tense waters.
“The Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters are the most dangerous place right now for commercial shipping,” said Jakob P. Larsen, head of maritime security at BIMCO. He noted that many ships are attempting to move as far from Iranian waters as possible.
Major shipping company Maersk confirmed it is rerouting certain services to protect crew and cargo. Traffic data shows tankers anchoring, reversing course or switching off AIS transponders amid the uncertainty.
Industry groups also warned that Yemen’s Houthi movement could resume attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, further widening the maritime risk zone. The tanker owners’ association Intertanko cautioned members that renewed Houthi activity is possible, though intelligence remains fluid.
So far, there are no confirmed signs of sea mines in the Strait, Larsen said, but he warned that conditions could change quickly.
With commercial vessels damaged, navigation systems disrupted and oil infrastructure already targeted elsewhere in the Gulf, the maritime dimension of the conflict now threatens to ripple directly into global energy markets and supply chains.
