The vessel is the third to be targeted in the region since Washington and Israel launched strikes on Iran

A crew member has been killed in an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, local media reported on Monday, citing the Defense Ministry. The vessel is the third to be targeted in the region since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

Massive bombing strikes on Iran began on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, senior officials, and hundreds of civilians. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases, while the escalation has disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz passage.

The Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MKD VYOM was attacked by an explosive-laden remotely operated boat while it was sailing 52 nautical miles (over 95 km) off the coast of Muscat Governorate, according to Omani authorities. The attack resulted in a fire and explosion in the main engine room, with one fatality and the remaining 21 crew evacuated, they added.

Video footage circulating on social media shows the ship partially engulfed in thick black smoke.

Earlier in the day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center reported that two vessels had been targeted by projectiles in the United Arab Emirates - one near Sharjah and the other near Mina Saqr - with the crews said to be safe and fires controlled.

Located between Iran and Oman, the Strait of Hormuz handles about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil and gas shipments. Although Iranian authorities say it remains open to tankers, media reports suggest that shipping is largely paused due to strike risks.

Reuters reported on Sunday that at least 150 tankers, including crude and LNG vessels, are anchored in Gulf waters outside the Strait of Hormuz, with dozens more stationary beyond the chokepoint. Insurers have warned shipowners they would cancel policies and raise coverage costs for vessels transiting the Gulf and the Strait, according to brokers cited by the Financial Times.

Brent crude briefly surged to a 14month high on Monday, jumping about 13% and topping around $82.37 per barrel. Meanwhile, European benchmark gas futures surged by around 50%, marking the biggest single day move since March 2022.