Three tankers struck in Strait of Hormuz; no party claims responsibility

Three tankers were struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the British military said. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported that one vessel traveling off the coast of Oman caught fire after the attack. The liquefied natural gas tanker Al Rekayyat was hit by a drone on its port side above the engine room, according to a radio call from its captain.

The engine room filled with smoke, disabling the ship's engines and steering. Two other tankers were also struck, one by a drone. Both sustained damage but reported no injuries, and at least one continued its voyage.

The incidents occurred near Limah, Oman, with no environmental effects recorded. Iranian state television said the Al Rekayyat came under attack after ignoring warnings but made no direct claim of responsibility. Iran's joint military command had warned last Thursday that all tankers must use Tehran's approved routes and that U.S.

Interference would draw a rapid reaction. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari called the strike on the Al Rekayyat an "unacceptable attack" on international navigation and global energy security. He said Qatar holds Iran "fully legally responsible" for the incident.

President Trump said Monday at the White House that the parties must reach a deal or the United States would resume military action. "I'd rather make a deal, because I don’t want to affect 91 million people," he said. " An interim deal reached last month allows ships to pass without charges for 60 days while talks continue.

Tehran has insisted on controlling routes and later charging fees. The data firm Kpler reported that at least 108 ships crossed the strait over the previous weekend using various routes. Hundreds of thousands of mourners attended funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Qom on Tuesday.

Oil prices ticked up around 1 percent following the tanker incidents.