Tanker Struck by Unknown Projectile Entering Strait of Hormuz on September 21, Two Crew Injured as Attacks Continue Despite Reduced Traffic

A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile as it entered the Strait of Hormuz on September 21, injuring two crew members, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center. The vessel continued toward its next port of call under its own power, and no environmental impact was reported, UKMTO said. The attacker has not been identified. The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on vessels transiting or entering the strait since Tehran asserted control over much of the waterway following the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28. In peacetime, about 20 million barrels — roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply — passed through Hormuz each day. Some tankers are again traversing the strait, but traffic is well below what it once was. A separate incident reported by gCaptain and TradeWinds News on September 22 noted two seafarers were injured when tankers were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, with the attacker unidentified. IMF PortWatch recorded only eight transits on September 13, down from a pre-crisis baseline of 85 per day, and UA.NEWS reports twelve vessels crossed the strait over the September 19-20 weekend, leaving the operational picture contested. The Strait of Hormuz remains a live operational hazard, according to the daily Straits Live intelligence brief for September 22. Brent crude stood at approximately $101.14 on September 22, down 0.56 percent over 24 hours as of 02:55 UTC, reflecting modest easing despite the ongoing attacks and constrained transit.