US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: A dangerous incident in the Strait of Hormuz has brought renewed attention to the risks facing commercial vessels in the waterway after a projectile struck the Kuwait-flagged tanker MT Kazimah III and triggered a fire. Five Indian nationals aboard the vessel were safely brought ashore in Oman following a rescue operation coordinated by the Indian Embassy and Omani authorities.
The incident happened on October 1, 2026, as the tanker was travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a third-party report of an unknown projectile hitting a tanker and causing a fire. The crew was reported safe, although the full extent of damage and any environmental impact remained unclear at the time of the report.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Five Indian Crew Members Rescued
The Indian Embassy in Oman said it worked with Omani authorities to bring five Indian nationals from the affected tanker safely ashore.
The rescued crew members were reported to be safe. The operation came after the vessel was struck while making its transit through the strategically important waterway.
The successful evacuation provided relief amid a series of recent incidents involving commercial ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime security concerns have increased sharply.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: MT Kazimah III Hit by Unknown Projectile
UKMTO did not initially identify the vessel in its incident warning. Maritime security companies later identified the tanker as MT Kazimah III, a Kuwait-flagged very large crude carrier operated by Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC). Reports identified the vessel as a roughly 317,000-dwt crude oil tanker.
According to UKMTO, the projectile strike caused a fire onboard. The agency said the crew remained safe and advised vessels in the area to exercise caution. The origin of the projectile and the precise circumstances surrounding the incident were not immediately established.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: What Did Iran-Linked Fars News Agency Say?
Iran’s IRGC-linked Fars news agency separately reported that a supertanker had been struck and was burning.
The agency said, “Local sources reported that a 2.5 million barrel supertanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz illegally was hit 8 km off the coast of Oman and is burning.”
The claim was made as conflicting accounts continued to emerge over incidents involving commercial vessels in the waterway. Independent maritime reports identified the vessel involved as MT Kazimah III, while UKMTO’s initial warning described the projectile as unknown.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Second KOTC Tanker Incident in Days
The Kazimah III incident followed another reported strike involving a KOTC tanker.
On September 28, MT Al Funtas, another Kuwait Oil Tanker Company-managed very large crude carrier, was struck by a suspected projectile while travelling through the Strait of Hormuz. The incident caused a fire, which was later extinguished, while the crew was reported safe and no environmental impact was reported.
The two incidents put KOTC vessels at the centre of renewed maritime security concerns in the region.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: More Tankers Hit in Strait of Hormuz
The Kazimah III incident was also part of a wider series of maritime security incidents reported in late September.
Reuters reported that three Liberia-flagged oil tankers were struck by unidentified projectiles while navigating the Strait of Hormuz on September 29. Maritime intelligence firm Marisks reported the incidents, while the source and nature of the projectiles remained unidentified.
Maritime industry reports have also recorded several other incidents involving tankers in the waterway during the final days of September.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Why is the Strait of Hormuz Important?
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, making it one of the world’s most important maritime routes for energy shipments.
Large volumes of crude oil and liquefied natural gas move through the waterway, meaning repeated attacks or security incidents can affect shipping operations, insurance costs and energy markets.
Reuters reported that LNG traffic through the Strait increased in September despite the security situation, with data showing more vessels returning to the route. However, some ships have continued to use so-called “dark transits” by switching off their automatic identification system signals.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: UKMTO Issues Warning to Ships
Following the latest incident, UKMTO advised vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz to proceed with caution and report suspicious activity.
The agency’s latest incident notice said a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile while transiting the waterway, resulting in a fire. It added that the crew had been reported safe, while damage assessment and the environmental impact remained unknown at the time of the report.
For now, the safe evacuation of the five Indian nationals is the key confirmed outcome from the incident, while authorities and maritime security agencies continue to assess the circumstances surrounding the strike.
