Projectile Strikes Oil Supertanker Off Coast of United Arab Emirates

An unknown projectile struck a vessel 13 nautical miles west of Al Jazeera, United Arab Emirates, on Friday, October 9, 2026. The strike ignited a fire on board that was eventually extinguished. While the UK Maritime Trade Operations did not officially name the ship, security sources and the risk management group Vanguard identified the vessel as the Gem No.2, a Panama-flagged crude supertanker that was fully laden with oil and at anchor during the attack.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. The strike follows a similar attack off the coast of Qatar earlier in the week and occurs as Iran issues warnings regarding the blockage of unauthorized shipping routes.

The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center reported that the frequency of attacks in the region is increasing. Officials noted that maritime security risks are now expanding beyond the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a broader threat to shipping in the area.