Iranian state television reported that a drone struck a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, sparking a fire on the vessel. The incident marked the latest in a series of attacks on oil tankers near the strategic chokepoint, which handles about one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil trade.

The reported strike occurred on the seventh day of the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. Iranian media earlier claimed a U.S. oil tanker was set ablaze in the northern Persian Gulf by missiles and drones. Details on the Friday incident's vessel, casualties or damage remained limited as of early Saturday.

Previous attacks escalated tensions earlier in the week. On March 2, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for striking the Honduran-flagged fuel tanker Athe Nova with two drones in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving it ablaze. The Guards accused the tanker of operating in unison with American forces and supplying fuel to U.S. Navy ships.

That same day, a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker, MKD VYOM, was hit by a drone boat 52 nautical miles off Muscat in the Gulf of Oman, near the strait. The vessel, carrying 59,463 metric tonnes of cargo, suffered an explosion in its main engine room, igniting a fire and killing one Indian crew member. The 21-member crew—16 Indians, four Bangladeshis and one Ukrainian—was evacuated to shore by another vessel.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the MKD VYOM attack involved an uncrewed surface vessel, a first reported use of such kamikaze drone boats by Iran in the conflict. Oman's Maritime Security Centre monitored the site and issued warnings to nearby ships. Ship manager V.Ships Asia confirmed the explosion and the engine room crew member's death.

These strikes followed a March 1 attack on a Palau-flagged tanker off Musandam, reportedly under U.S. sanctions. Iranian forces have threatened to close the strait to U.S., Israeli and allied vessels, prompting major shipping lines like Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to suspend transits and reroute ships.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted, with a 70% drop in vessel movements and 150 crude and LNG tankers anchored in Gulf waters. War-risk insurance rates have surged, and at least five tankers have been damaged overall, with two crew deaths reported.

Oil markets reacted sharply. Brent crude rose 7% to $78.40 per barrel, while U.S. crude climbed 7% to $72. European gas prices jumped up to 45% after Qatar halted LNG production. The disruptions threaten 20-30% of global seaborne oil trade.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated the Navy could escort tankers through the strait if needed, amid a buildup of American naval forces in the region. Maritime experts noted merchant ships' limited defenses against fast-moving drone boats, suggesting escorts or exemptions might be required for passage.