Missile Strike Hits LPG Tanker Disha in Iranian Waters Near Hormuz

Missile Strike Hits LPG Tanker Disha in Iranian Waters Near Hormuz

Maritime & Energy Desk — July 25, 2026

A Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker, Disha (IMO 8818219), came under missile attack in Iranian territorial waters near the eastern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz on July 24. All 28 Indian crew members aboard are confirmed safe, per a statement from the Indian Embassy in Tehran.

The attack struck the vessel's accommodation block — the crew living quarters — according to statements from the Forward Seamen's Union of India. This is not incidental. Hitting accommodation rather than cargo or engine spaces reads as either poor targeting or a deliberate signal aimed at crew, not cargo. NavvyaSignal has not independently verified which; treat as inference until confirmed.

A distress call captured on public VHF radio, reportedly from Disha's crew, cites 30 people on board — a discrepancy against the embassy's confirmed count of 28. Unresolved. Filed as unverified pending clarification from the vessel operator or DGMA.

The attacker remains unidentified. No state or non-state actor has claimed responsibility as of this filing.

Context the industry already had

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) issued an advisory roughly a week prior directing shipowners, ship managers, and RPSL-licensed placement agencies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on any Hormuz-transiting vessel until further orders. Disha was struck after that advisory was already in effect — not before. The sequencing matters: this isn't a case of regulators playing catch-up to a new threat, it's a vessel operator exposure choice made against a live warning.

Why this matters

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly a fifth of the world's daily petroleum flow and a comparable share of global LNG. Indian seafarers make up a disproportionate share of global merchant crew. Every attack on an Indian-crewed vessel in this corridor compounds pressure on India's maritime labor pipeline — and on shipowners weighing insurance, war-risk premiums, and crew consent against continued Hormuz transits.

Open questions NavvyaSignal is tracking

Attacker identity; whether Disha was hit intentionally or as collateral in a broader engagement; the 28-vs-30 crew count discrepancy; and whether this triggers an enforcement mechanism behind the DGMA advisory, or remains guidance without teeth.

NavvyaSignal will update this brief as further confirmation becomes available.