The strike follows an attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged MT Valthera off Kumzar where 11 Indian sailors were reported safe. In a separate operation on Oct 10, US Centcom forces disabled the bulk carrier Ocean Molica for attempting to run a naval blockade against Iran. At least 17 tanker attacks linked to Iran have hit the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waterways since Sept 28, a pace analysts at Gibson describe as the highest since the start of the war.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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UKMTO Reclassifies Petro Dolphin Incident as Iranian Drone Attack
War9 days ago
Nine crew members were rescued from a vessel at Oman's Sohar port on Sunday after an aerial attack left two of their colleagues missing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reclassified the event as an official attack after confirming an Iranian drone hit the Petro Dolphin tanker. The vessel, which is UAE-owned and falsely flagged to Nicaragua, was waiting to berth at the anchorage when it was struck, producing a fire that was detected by the NOAA-20 satellite.
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