Two Supertankers Struck in the Strait of Hormuz Amid Iranian Negotiation Offer

A pair of supertankers carrying Saudi oil were struck by projectiles while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz overnight, according to maritime analysts. The tankers, each carrying 2 million barrels of crude from the Juaymah terminal, were hit while sailing near the Omani coast, where Iran has previously attacked vessels bypassing its claim to the Strait, as reported by tracking firms Kpler and Marist. Marist indicated that the near-simultaneous incidents represent an escalation in the threat environment within the Omani corridor. The Saudi Arabian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Sidr was the first ship hit, followed shortly by the Liberian-flagged VLCC Senegal Prosperity, which was struck by three projectiles. All crew members aboard both ships were reported safe. Ships have been navigating through the Strait of Hormuz near the Omani coast under American escorts, which has drawn ire from Iran, leading to missile and drone attacks on these vessels. The recent incidents caused crude contracts to rise by more than 2% on Tuesday, with the Brent international benchmark reaching $92 a barrel. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, stated that Iran would be willing to negotiate with the US and return to the terms of June’s memorandum of understanding, but warned of reciprocal actions if the US did not comply. President Trump has rejected returning to the memorandum's terms, opting instead to impose economic sanctions on Iran and threatening further action in response to the attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and against US allies in the region.