A QatarEnergy-chartered tanker was hit by a missile off Qatar’s coast, with no casualties reported as authorities investigate the incident.

A fuel oil tanker on charter to QatarEnergy was struck by a missile in Qatari waters in the early hours of Wednesday, marking a shift from recent drone attacks, after the Ministry of Defence said three cruise missiles were launched towards the country, with two intercepted and one hitting the vessel.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said the strike took place in northern territorial waters, adding that all 21 crew members on board were safely evacuated and no casualties were reported.

QatarEnergy later identified the vessel as Aqua 1, a fuel oil tanker under charter, and said the incident caused no environmental damage.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report of the incident, placing the tanker about 17 nautical miles north of Doha, near Ras Laffan.

In a subsequent update, the office said the vessel was struck by projectiles, with one causing a fire that has since been extinguished, while another remains on board and is being examined by authorities.

The office added that it could not confirm the source of the projectiles and advised vessels in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

Pressure on maritime and energy operations

Wednesday’s strike follows recent incidents affecting QatarEnergy-linked infrastructure and operations.

In recent weeks, facilities in Ras Laffan, Qatar’s main liquefied natural gas hub, were hit in attacks that disrupted operations and led QatarEnergy to declare force majeure on some shipments.

The latest incident marks a direct hit on a fuel oil tanker under charter to QatarEnergy, adding to a series of incidents affecting the country’s energy sector.

Authorities have not provided further details beyond confirming the use of cruise missiles, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.