Iran starts ‘indiscriminate’ strikes across Gulf of Oman, hits shadow tanker tied to regime

Gulf of Oman tanker attacks escalate as Iran retaliates against Operation Epic Fury with missiles targeting U.S. allies, disrupting commercial traffic through chokepoint. War With Iran Iran starts ‘indiscriminate’ strikes across Gulf of Oman, hits shadow tanker tied to regime Maritime intelligence firm says Tehran is targeting commercial traffic regardless of nationality after sanctioned tanker with Iranian crew was hit By Emma Bussey Fox News Published March 2, 2026 6:54pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Oil tanker blazes near the coast of Oman in 'indiscriminate' attack Shadow oil tanker with ties to Iranian regime attacked near Oman coast (Reuters) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Iran is conducting "indiscriminate" targeting of vessels across the Gulf of Oman and the wider Persian Gulf following the launch of U.S.-Israeli strikes under Operation Epic Fury, according to a maritime intelligence firm. Windward AI noted the sanctioned Palau-flagged tanker Skylight was hit as the conflict across the Middle East entered its second day, with the tanker also holding Iranian nationals among the crew and ties to the regime."Analysis of vessel affiliations, targeting patterns, and cargo data points to a strategy of indiscriminate area denial — not precision targeting — aimed at demonstrating Iran's capability to disrupt the Strait and deter commercial shipping," the firm said Monday. Gulf of Oman tanker attacks escalate as Iran retaliates against Operation Epic Fury with missiles targeting U.S. allies, disrupting commercial traffic through choke point. (Reuters) Iran has been retaliating with missiles and drones targeting U.S. and allied positions across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz which links the Gulf of Oman to the Persian Gulf, is the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.While three other vessels were reported attacked since the hostilities escalated Feb.28, Windward described Skylight as "the highest-risk vessel in the group and the most anomalous target." The UKMTO Operation Centre also later confirmed attacks on Skylight, MKD Vyom and Hercules Star, warning of significant military activity across the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.Skylight had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control in December 2025, and was used to transport Iranian petroleum products, according to reports. It was operated by United Arab Emirates-based Red Sea Ship Management LLC, which Windward noted has documented ties to front companies linked to Iran’s Ministry of Defense. The vessel had been at anchor since Feb. 22 and carried 20 crew members — 15 Indians and five Iranians.DUBAI HOTEL FIRE APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY IRANIAN STRIKE; INJURIES REPORTED A satellite view of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supply, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. (Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025/Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)"The Skylight anomaly — striking a vessel with an Iranian crew, Iranian operational ties, and active OFAC sanctions — is the single strongest piece of evidence against deliberate targeting by affiliation," Windward said. Reuters also reported March 1 that the Palau-flagged tanker was hit off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula in the Gulf of Oman, injuring four.CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APPOman’s Maritime Security Center said in a post on X that Skylight was attacked about 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port, caught fire and was evacuated. Related Article Gulf states intercept hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones, issue joint condemnation with US Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture. Related Topics War With IranIranMiddle EastWarsAli Khamenei Antisemitism Exposed Fox News' Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world." Arrives Weekly By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. Subscribe Subscribed Subscribe You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!