A Chinese oil tanker has been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, the first such incident involving a Chinese vessel since the waterway was closed in late February 2026, China's news agency Caixin Global reported on Thursday. This comes as a wave of attacks on commercial ships of multiple nationalities shows no sign of letting up.
Caixin Global also reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are launching a series of attacks on merchant ships from multiple countries. The shipping traffic through the strait has ground to a halt following the US military's short-lived effort to escort vessels through the waterway, which triggered a surge of attacks on merchant ships.
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The Chinese tanker attack marks a significant turning point: early in the crisis, reports had emerged that Iran would allow only Chinese vessels to pass through the strait, citing China's supportive stance toward Iran since the conflict intensified. That apparent safe passage now appears to have ended.
On Tuesday, French shipping giant CMA CGM confirmed that its container ship, the San Antonio, was attacked while transiting the strait, injuring several crew members and damaging the vessel. Caixin Global, citing CMA CGM's statement, noted this was part of a wider pattern of attacks on vessels of multiple nationalities in the waterway.
Earlier on Monday, a blast and fire occurred on a South Korean HMM Namu, a cargo ship carrying 24 crew members. The incident triggered an immediate dispute over its cause, with Iran denying any responsibility .
The strait has been largely blocked since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched an air war against Iran. Before the conflict, roughly 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20% of global LNG passed through it. About 1,600 ships are currently stranded in the waterway.
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China imports as much as 40% of its oil and 30% of its LNG through the strait, and dozens of Chinese ships have been trapped in the Persian Gulf since the closure began. Beijing had previously called the US naval blockade of Iranian ports "a dangerous and irresponsible move" that would "undermine the already fragile ceasefire."
The attack on a Chinese vessel comes as the US and Iran are reportedly edging toward a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the conflict.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack on the Chinese tanker.
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