Two tankers were hit in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier that caught fire after an overnight drone strike, according to maritime security sources.
Qatar blamed Iran for the attack on the LNG tanker Al Rekayyat, saying the strike caused a fire in the vessel’s engine room. The crew were reported safe and were being evacuated.
Maritime security sources warned the fire could put the tanker at risk of explosion.
The incident came as large crowds gathered in the Iranian city of Qom to mourn the country’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.