A Greek-owned oil tanker operating in Iraqi territorial waters was struck by a suspected Iranian unmanned surface vessel, sparking a fire and renewed fears about maritime security in one of the world's most critical energy corridors.
The tanker Zephyros, sailing under the Maltese flag and owned by Greek interests, was conducting a ship-to-ship transfer operation when the incident occurred during the night of 12 March, according to Greece's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy. The vessel was carrying 22 crew members, all Georgian nationals, who were reported to be safe and unharmed despite the attack.
Following the strike, a fire broke out on board the tanker. Iraqi firefighting teams and local port authorities quickly responded, bringing the blaze under control and eventually extinguishing it. Greek authorities confirmed that no crew members were injured.
The Iraqi state oil marketing company SOMO said the vessel was transporting condensed energy products from the Basra Gas Company as part of Iraq's hydrocarbon export activities. The tanker was preparing to dock at Khor al Zubair port to load approximately 30,000 tonnes of naphtha, a petrochemical feedstock widely used in industrial processes, after unloading a previous cargo.
According to an Iraqi port official, two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were attacked within the territorial waters of Iraq within the last hour, causing both to catch fire in the Persian Gulf. A total of 25 crewmembers onboard the vessels have been evacuated so far by… pic.twitter.com/xBCHI09Txs
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 11, 2026
Footage circulating online appears to show the Zephyros engulfed in flames shortly after the strike, while rescue teams assist crew members to safety. Iraqi security services described the incident as an act of "sabotage", according to the Iraqi News Agency INA. Officials said the vessel was targeted while operating in a side loading zone roughly 30 nautical miles from the coast.
The attack comes amid escalating tensions in the wider Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz region, one of the world's most strategically important routes for global energy shipments. In recent days, a series of incidents targeting shipping and energy infrastructure has heightened fears about the safety of maritime transport in the area.
An oil tanker was struck off the coast of Basrah, Iraq 🇮🇶
— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) March 11, 2026
25 crew members have reportedly been rescued from the ship pic.twitter.com/XG7Z3OPjLZ
A port worker in Basra told AFP he could not confirm whether the strike involved aerial or maritime drones. Meanwhile, the United States has accused Iran of mining waters in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to disrupt global oil flows.
The incident occurred only hours after the US embassy in Baghdad issued a fresh warning about potential attacks by Iran or its allies against "oil and energy infrastructure belonging to the United States". Earlier this week, Tehran signalled it would not allow "the export of even one litre of oil from the region to the hostile camp and its partners until further notice".
