Qatar LNG carrier struck by ‘unidentified objects’ in Gulf

A Qatari tanker has been hit by “unidentified objects” while sailing in the Gulf, the Qatar Gas Transport Company says, the latest attack on commercial shipping since the US-Israel war on Iran began in February.

The attack on Friday evening struck the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Al Mayeda, which belongs to the company, it said in a statement on Sunday.

None of the crew members was injured and no environmental damage was reported, it said.

The statement, published by the Qatar Stock Exchange, said the vessel is currently in a “safe condition, operational” and that the impact of the incident is being assessed.

The Qatar Gas Transport Company supplies Qatari ports and terminals with towage and marine support services.

More than 120 commercial ships have been hit since the start of the war, according to data from the International Maritime Organization and the UK Maritime Trade Operations.

Iran, which closed the Strait of Hormuz early on in the war, has repeatedly warned vessels attempting to pass through the vital waterway without its permission would face “destruction”.

The attacks have increased since the United States reimposed a blockade on Iran’s southern ports in July.

With at least 29 ships hit, October was the worst month of the war, ahead of the 20 attacks recorded in March.