India-bound Qatari LNG carrier Al Rekayyat struck by Iranian drone near Strait of Hormuz

Qatar has confirmed that India-bound LNG carrier Al Rekayyat was targeted during an apparent drone attack near the Strait of Hormuz. Doha also condemned the incident as an unacceptable attack on international shipping and global energy supplies.

The vessel carried over 29 seafarers on board, including four Indians, who were all reported to be safe.

Also Read: Explained: Why oil prices aren't rising despite fresh attacks near the Strait of Hormuz

The vessel's engine room however, caught fire following the strike, resulting in heavy smoke.

"Targeting the Qatari tanker constitutes a rejected aggression against the security and safety of international navigation, and the security of global energy supplies, and a grave and explicit violation of the provisions of international law, especially the rules that guarantee freedom of maritime navigation and safe passage in international straits," Dr Majed Al Ansari, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an X post on Tuesday, 7 July.

Qatar asked Iran to immediately cease all practices that it said harmed regional security and threatened the safety of international navigation. It asked Tehran to stop endangering global energy supplies saying that Iran would be held legally accountable for the damages and repercussions.

Also Read: President Trump warns Iran to 'make a deal' as Hormuz tensions escalate amid Khamenei's funeral

UK maritime authorities previously reported that a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire but no casualties or pollution.

The incident marks the most significant security event affecting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after the

United States launched fresh attacks on Iran following, the attack on a vessel.

This reinforced concerns over regional stability, maritime trade and the reliability of global LNG exports. The development also marks the first confirmed strike on a Qatari state-owned LNG carrier since the war began in February, given Qatar's role as a mediator in the ongoing US-Iran talks.

The attack comes despite recent progress in those talks. On July 2, Qatari and Pakistani mediators had concluded separate meetings with US and Iranian negotiators in Doha, with what was described as positive progress on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit.

The parties had agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest following the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei'.

Al Rekayyat was transiting through the Oman-coordinated southern corridor of Hormuz when it was hit. Earlier, the IRGC Navy had warned against using this route and declared that only Iran-designated routes were ‘authorised’ for passage through the strait.

Vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply in the immediate aftermath, with daily crossings dropping from around 25 vessels to seven, according to Kpler tracking data.