The UK Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report of an incident about 20 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman, on August 3. According to UKMTO, the master of a tanker reported hearing an explosion in close proximity to the vessel. The ship and its crew were reported safe, while Omani authorities launched an investigation into the matter.
UKMTO advised vessels transiting the area to exercise heightened caution and report any suspicious activity. The alert forms part of ongoing efforts to maintain maritime security in the Gulf of Oman. Shipping data from the region reflected a slowdown in vessel movements through key waterways.
Kpler data showed 18 commodity vessels transited the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Sunday, compared with 27 on Saturday and 28 on Friday. Despite the risks, two tankers carrying Saudi oil successfully crossed the Bab el-Mandeb over the weekend, the data indicated. The decline follows the Iran-aligned Houthi movement’s announcement of a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia.
Reuters reported that the Houthis made the declaration on July 20, describing it as an immediate «eye for an eye» measure in response to perceived blockades and recent strikes. The group has expanded its campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and adjacent areas. The embargo targets tankers linked to Saudi operations.
US Energy Information Administration figures place average oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz at 20.9 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025, accounting for approximately 20 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption. The strait remains a vital artery for energy exports from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates. The US Energy Information Administration has highlighted the strait’s role in its regular assessments of world oil transit chokepoints.
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