Qatari LNG carrier hit by 'unidentified objects' in Gulf

A Qatari liquefied natural gas carrier has been struck by what its owner describes as "unidentified objects" while sailing in the Gulf, in the latest attack on commercial shipping since the US-Israel war on Iran began in February.

The Qatar Gas Transport Company said the attack on Friday evening hit the LNG carrier Al Mayeda. In a statement published by the Qatar Stock Exchange on Sunday, the company said no crew members were injured and no environmental damage was reported. The vessel, it said, is in a "safe condition, operational", and the impact of the incident is still being assessed, Al Jazeera reported.

The company, which supplies Qatari ports and terminals with towage and marine support services, did not say who it believes was responsible. The phrase "unidentified objects" does a good deal of work in the statement, and for now it is all that is confirmed.

The strike fits a grim pattern. More than 120 commercial ships have been hit since the war began, according to data from the International Maritime Organization and the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, which has reported a rise in attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. October was the worst month of the war, with at least 29 ships hit — ahead of the 20 attacks recorded in March.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz early in the conflict and has repeatedly warned that vessels attempting to pass through the waterway without its permission would face "destruction". The attacks have increased since the United States reimposed a blockade on Iran's southern ports in July. Tehran has said it could reopen the strait within two days under certain conditions, though that remains a statement, not an action. The disruption has already driven European natural gas prices sharply higher.

What happens next turns on two tracks. The Qatari company says it is assessing the impact of Friday's strike, and any finding on what hit the Al Mayeda would be the first thing to watch. The second is diplomatic: an Iranian delegation is in Qatar for talks, with Iran's foreign minister describing recent US outreach as a "positive step". Whether either produces anything concrete is, for now, an open question.