The latest incident, described by regional sources as a strike on a commercial tanker, follows a pattern of almost daily attacks that analysts attribute to Iranian forces targeting vessels that traverse the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.
Only days earlier, a Saudi‑flagged tanker was struck, killing two crew members and underscoring the growing peril for ships that rely on the strait to move a significant share of global oil and gas supplies.
The waterway has been a flashpoint since Tehran closed it in February after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes, a move that disrupted a major artery for energy trade and contributed to a surge in international fuel prices.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on social media that roughly 18 million barrels of oil are now passing through the strait each day, a figure he says is close to pre‑conflict levels, while Vice President JD Vance claimed Iran’s control over Hormuz is “effectively gone.”
U.S. officials also note that some tankers under American protection deactivate their transponders to avoid detection by Iranian forces, making precise flow data difficult to verify.
Iran, for its part, accuses the United States of manipulating the oil market and insists that the strait remains under Tehran’s authority, a claim that fuels diplomatic tension and adds uncertainty for shippers.
The volatility has already pushed crude oil prices to about Ksh 11,610 per barrel, according to the American Automobile Association, and driven U.S. diesel to a record high of roughly Ksh 755 per gallon (3.9 litres). Gasoline prices, previously below Ksh 387, have also climbed, raising concerns about higher transport and production costs worldwide.
The latest tanker strike reinforces the precarious security environment in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting shipping companies and governments to reassess routing decisions as the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel shows no sign of abating.