Oil Tanker with 15 Indian crew Hit Near Oman as Tensions Escalate in Strait of Hormuz

Mangalore Today News Network

Oman, March 1, 2026: An oil tanker was struck near Oman’s Musandam Peninsula as Iran intensified retaliatory actions following the reported assassination of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by the United States and Israel.

According to Oman’s Maritime Security Centre (MSC), the Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight was targeted five nautical miles north of Khasab Port in the Musandam Governorate while transiting the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The strait is considered one of the world’s most sensitive maritime oil shipping routes.

The vessel, carrying a 20-member crew comprising 15 Indian nationals and five Iranians, was evacuated following the attack. Four crew members sustained injuries of varying severity and were shifted for medical treatment, the MSC said, citing preliminary information. The statement did not specify the nature of the strike.

The incident followed earlier drone strikes reported at Duqm port in Oman, where one worker was injured. A day earlier, a radio warning purportedly issued by Iran’s Navy had claimed that no vessel would be permitted to pass through the narrow corridor.

The MSC said rescue operations were conducted in coordination with military, security and civilian agencies, underscoring national preparedness to handle maritime emergencies.

The attack marks the first reported strike on a target in or near Oman amid the widening regional conflict triggered by Iran’s retaliation to joint US-Israeli actions.