Iran regional confrontation

MT El Gaia Hormuz strike: Oman SAR 23 rescued/2 missing under tow; CENTCOM missile+drone vs IRGC mine

This version is a correction.

ATTACK
Location
Strait of Hormuz off Oman (MT El Gaia; exact position unpublished)
Actors
Iran · Oman
Importance
Standard

UKMTO Warning 134-26 reported a vessel struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz (initial report 23:00 UTC 12 September 2026), with fire and crew evacuation; India’s Ministry of External Affairs named Panama-flagged oil products tanker MT El Gaia (IMO 9325336, MMSI 371394000), saying 13 of 14 Indian crew were rescued and one Indian seafarer remained missing as of 13 September. On 14 September, U.S. Central Command rejected an IRGC claim that El Gaia hit a naval mine, stating the tanker was struck by an Iranian missile last month and rendered inoperable, then struck again by an Iranian drone over the weekend while off Oman, and is being towed by a regional partner (CENTCOM X; AA; Iran International; gCaptain). The IRGC Navy said the ship exploded after striking mines south of the strait — a competing unverified claim. Distinct from the thin Hengam/Qeshm Iranian cargo strand. The International Maritime Organization’s Middle East highlighted-incidents list (as at 14 September 2026) records EL GAIA (IMO 9325336) damaged in the Strait of Hormuz on 12 September with pollution extent unknown and two seafarers missing — a higher missing count than India’s MEA line of one missing Indian among 14 Indian crew (13 rescued). Reuters (15 September) cited the IMO two-missing figure. The missing are not counted among IMO’s 22 confirmed seafarer fatalities. On 15 September Oman’s Maritime Security Centre said Panama-flagged ELGAIA was towed to an Omani port after an engine-room fire following an attack near Musandam; an Omani Royal Navy vessel evacuated 23 crew (medical care provided) while search continued for two missing (AA; BBC). AA places the attack ~103 NM NE of Musandam; BBC cites 1.3 NM north of Musandam — retain both attributed distances. Oman SAR 23/2 supersedes India MEA’s earlier 13/14 Indian-crew line for overall rescued/missing while keeping IMO two-missing consistent. AA notes UKMTO 135-26 (no vessel ID; no damage framing) may or may not be the same hull — do not merge with that warning event without confirmation.

Why it matters

Oman MSC official SAR (23 evacuated / 2 missing) upgrades the merchant casualty picture while the CENTCOM missile/drone vs IRGC mine attribution dispute remains unresolved; keep UKMTO 135-26 separate.

X · @PressTVunverified

Press TV Extra: first images of El Gaia after claimed naval-mine explosion on an unauthorized Hormuz route — IRGC/Iranian framing; CENTCOM rejects mine claim.

Credit PressTV Extra via @PressTV X ·

Play contacts video.twimg.com directly.

  • Humanitarian: Best 2 · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: 1 missing, 13 rescued after vessel attacked off Oman in Strait of Hormuz, India condemns attack on ship off Oman as seafarer remains missing; 13 Indian crew members rescued, IMO Middle East highlighted incidents: EL GAIA damaged; two seafarers missing (as at 14 Sep 2026), Houthis strike Saudi targets anew as talks over Strait of Hormuz stall, Oman says attacked oil tanker towed to port; 2 crew members missing, Oman: oil tanker towed after Musandam attack; crew rescue · Oman MSC (AA/BBC 15 Sep): 23 crew evacuated by Omani Royal Navy; search for 2 missing. IMO highlighted-incidents also lists two seafarers missing. India MEA earlier line (13 of 14 Indian crew rescued / 1 Indian missing) is superseded for overall SAR counts but remains relevant for nationality detail.
  • Maritime: Best 1 · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: Fire breaks out on vessel after projectile strike in Strait of Hormuz: UKMTO, 1 missing, 13 rescued after vessel attacked off Oman in Strait of Hormuz · MT El Gaia struck; fire and crew evacuation per UKMTO update; 13 of 14 Indian crew rescued.

Verification: Probable

Evidence: 1 missing, 13 rescued after vessel attacked off Oman in Strait of Hormuz, Fire breaks out on vessel after projectile strike in Strait of Hormuz: UKMTO, India condemns attack on ship off Oman as seafarer remains missing; 13 Indian crew members rescued, MT El Gaia IMO 9325336 MMSI 371394000 Panama, MEA: one Indian still missing after MT El Gaia attack; 13 rescued, CENTCOM: IRGC mine claim FALSE; El Gaia Iranian missile then drone; under tow, US rejects Iranian claim that tanker hit mine near Hormuz, CENTCOM rejects IRGC claim tanker hit mine, says Iran struck vessel twice, U.S. Rejects Iran's Mine Claim as Hormuz Shipping Threat Remains Severe, IMO Middle East highlighted incidents: EL GAIA damaged; two seafarers missing (as at 14 Sep 2026), Houthis strike Saudi targets anew as talks over Strait of Hormuz stall, Oman says attacked oil tanker towed to port; 2 crew members missing, Oman: oil tanker towed after Musandam attack; crew rescue, PressTV: El Gaia first images under IRGC mine framing

PROBABLE named vessel + 1 missing / 13 rescued via India MEA (prior AA/HT/Hindu). Attack and fire via UKMTO 134-26. ATTRIBUTION DISPUTE (14 Sep): CENTCOM (X + AA/Iran Intl/gCaptain) rejects IRGC mine claim and asserts Iranian missile last month then Iranian drone this weekend off Oman with regional-partner tow — treated as ESTIMATED competing claims, not confirmed perpetrator. IRGC mine narrative retained as unverified claim only. Distinct from evt_a3c7a831 Hengam/Qeshm. Registry IMO 9325336 / MMSI 371394000. UPDATE (5h review 15 Sep): IMO highlighted list as at 14 Sep records two seafarers missing + pollution unknown for EL GAIA — revising humanitarian missing 1→2; MEA Indian-national detail retained; not folded into fatality tally. Oman MSC 23 evacuated / 2 missing (AA/BBC 15 Sep) is official Omani SAR — elevate missing-count confidence; keep attribution dispute (CENTCOM vs IRGC). Do not merge UKMTO 135-26 without vessel ID confirmation.