A Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker became the first vessel to be hit by an Iranian unmanned surface vessel (USV) in the conflict, Ambra Maritime Security tells us. As we have frequently reported, unmanned surface vehicles are used extensively in Ukraine against Russia, and in the Middle East, they are also used extensively by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels against commercial shipping.
You can keep up to date with our latest coverage of Operation Epic Fury, the joint US and Israeli attack on Iran, in our rolling coverage.
boat, that MKD ViomeIt was initially believed to have been hit by a shell during a fatal attack on March 1 about 50 nautical miles north of Muscat, Oman. However, the UK Maritime Trade Action (UKMTO), which is run by the Royal Navy, provided its latest assessment of the incident on Monday morning.
“UK Maritime Trade has received confirmation that the vessel was attacked by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) and the crew has been evacuated to shore,” the organization said. “Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.”
“On March 1, the ship exploded and subsequently caught fire after being hit by a suspected projectile off the coast of Muscat, Oman.” MKD ViomeOwner, V.Ships Asia. said in a statement. “It is with great sadness that we can confirm that one of the crew members who was in the cabin at the time of the incident has died.”
MKD VYOM mountain bike mountain bike mountain bike mountain bike mountain bike mountain bike mountain bike 52 52 pic.twitter.com/XUABktn3kt
— ?????? (@aljarida) March 2, 2026
While this is the first time Iran has used unmanned surface craft to attack ships in the region, it is not surprising that it has deployed these weapons. Iran has steadily developed and added to its arsenal unmanned surface craft and underwater vehicles capable of launching kamikaze attacks. Iran and its Houthi allies in Yemen have long been pioneers in this area. As we have previously reported, the Houthis frequently use unmanned boats in operations targeting shipping in the Red Sea.
First photo of Houthi drone ship hitting bulk carrier M/V tutor June 2024.
The ongoing war in Ukraine now fully demonstrates the real threat these capabilities pose to ships and coastal targets (and even aircraft).
this MKD Viome The ship was one of at least four vessels attacked by Iran since the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz, about 150 nautical miles to the northwest. The warning came after the United States and Israel began bombing Iranian targets on February 28. We have previously looked in detail at what steps Iran could take to close the strait, a major chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil passes.
“For your information, from now on… ships of any type… will not be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. From now on, all ships are prohibited from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and all ships are prohibited from passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, obtained by radio transmission war zone.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps updated the warning on Monday, saying it was closing the strait and would set fire to any ship trying to pass.
“The Strait (of Hormuz) is closed. If anyone tries to pass through, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set fire to these ships,” Ibrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, said in remarks carried by state media.
BREAKING NEWS: IRGC commander says Strait of Hormuz has been closed and Iran will set fire to any ship trying to pass, Iranian media reports – Reuters pic.twitter.com/ra0B2x5oWq
— Faytuks News (@Faytuks) March 2, 2026
The U.S.-flagged tanker joins three other tankers that have perished in the Gulf of Oman. stina is imperative A maritime security official confirmed that the port of Bahrain suffered at least two direct attacks with suspected Iranian projectiles on Monday. war zone.
The official added that it was unclear whether the ship was hit by a missile or a drone.
Shortly before 5:30 a.m. ET, UKMTO said it “received reports of an incident at the Port of Bahrain. Company security guards reported that the vessel was hit by two unknown projectiles, sparking a fire. The fire has been extinguished and the vessel remains in port. All crew members are safe and have evacuated the vessel. Authorities are investigating.”
“Vessels should exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the organization added.
It is believed that stina is imperative To date, it is the only U.S.-flagged ship attacked by Iran.
The tanker was reportedly part of the U.S. Maritime Administration’s tanker safety program, which is “designed to enhance the resiliency of the U.S. liquid fuel products supply chain.” The Tanker Safety Plan, which takes effect in 2021, authorizes the Department of Transportation to establish a temporarily expanded fleet of 10 vessels of U.S.-flagged tankers for use in a crisis.
A few weeks before the war broke out, stina is imperative According to reports, Iranian gunboats approached the ship in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to board the ship before continuing its voyage under military escort. cbs news.
U.S. Central Command issued a statement at the time confirming the incident, saying “two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the M/V Sterner order and threatened to board and seize the tanker. “
Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told cbs think Arleigh Burke U.S. Navy-class guided missile destroyer McFaul Responded immediately to the scene and escorted the ship with U.S. Air Force defensive air support. “The situation has eased and the U.S.-flagged tanker is sailing safely,” he said.
Since the launch of the Epic Fury, shipping traffic through the vital waterway has plummeted by nearly 85%, with a large number of ships turning off their transponders to avoid being tracked.
New news: Ship traffic through Strait of Hormuz down nearly 85%, @keplerof @DimAmpatzidis Hunter Brook said.
“As of 00:00 UTC today, only six vessels have transited the strait with AIS signals activated.” One of the vessels was subsequently bombed by Iran. pic.twitter.com/offUWTYGic
— Hunter Brooke (@hntrbrkmedia) March 2, 2026
When Iran attacked oil tankers, the United States was attacking Iranian naval vessels. US President Donald Trump said the “annihilation” of the Iranian navy was a core goal of the “epic of rage” and that 10 Iranian ships had been “shot down” so far.
The satellite image below shows damage to Iran’s main naval base in Bandar Bandar Abbas, including what appears to be IRINS moklan The attack on the sea-based ship follows the United States’ ongoing campaign with Israel. You can read more about this in our story.
Satellite image after the US attack on the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. (Photo © 2026 PLANET LABS INC. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission)
While no one knows how long the Epic Wrath will last, the war will continue to pose a significant danger to commercial shipping.
Update: 5:51 p.m. ET –
A U.S. official told war zone Although the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims they have closed the strait, U.S. surveillance of the waters does not support this claim.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
