Two Vessels Struck Near Hormuz, LNG Tanker at Risk of Explosion Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. July 7, 2026 © Adobe Stock/vladsv A Qatari LNG tanker was at risk of exploding and a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz, sources said on Tuesday, after reports that Iran fired missiles at ships in the waterway overnight. The Al Rekayyat, loaded with liquefied natural gas, sent out distress signals seeking assistance after it was hit on its port side, one of the sources said. Another source briefed on the matter said the vessel was at risk of exploding due to a fire in its engine room. The crew were safe and were being evacuated. "Mayday mayday mayday. This is vessel Al Rekayyat, LNG vessel Al Rekayyat. We are being hit by drone on port side, top of engine room," the Rekayyat's captain said in a recorded radio call reviewed by Reuters. "Status: engine room fire and full of smoke. Unable to assess further damage." It is the first time an LNG ship from Qatar, a mediator in talks between Washington and Tehran, has been struck since the start of the Iran war at the end of February. A Saudi-flagged tanker, believed to be the supertanker Wedyan, was also damaged off Oman's coast,  maritime  security sources said. The cause was not immediately known. Al Rekayyat is owned and managed by Nakilat, also known as Qatar Gas Transport Company Ltd, which operates one of the world's largest LNG shipping fleets. LSEG shipping data showed the vessel last transmitted its location on June 18, indicating its AIS tracking transponder was switched off. Wedyan is owned and managed by Saudi shipping firm Bahri. Bahri, Nakilat, QatarEnergy, Qatar's international media office, the Saudi government's media office and U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There was no claim of responsibility for the attacks. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial indications were that Iran had fired at two commer