A Q-Flex LNG carrier, the AL REKAYYAT, was struck by an unidentified projectile on July 7 while transiting the Gulf of Oman, just 7-8 nautical miles off the Omani coast. The vessel issued multiple distress calls reporting a port-side impact, potential engine room damage, and a possible fire. No casualties were reported, but when your cargo is liquefied natural gas, “no casualties” and “everything is fine” are two very different statements.
The incident is the first major test of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement reached in mid-June 2026.
What happened and why it matters
The AL REKAYYAT is not a small boat. Built in 2009 and flagged in the Marshall Islands, the Q-Flex class tanker has a capacity of roughly 216,000 cubic meters of LNG. That makes it one of the larger gas carriers in the world.
The projectile, believed to be either a drone or missile, hit the port side of the vessel as it was leaving the Strait of Hormuz. That waterway is the single most important chokepoint for global energy transport. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through it daily, along with a substantial share of global LNG shipments.
