Iran attacks Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight in Strait of Hormuz as Gulf war escalates

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• Oil tanker 'Skylight' hit off Oman; 20 crew evacuated safely
• Four crew injured; source of attack not yet disclosed
• Iran, Israel, and US escalate strikes across Gulf region

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A Palau-flagged oil tanker was targeted in waters off Oman’s Musandam Governorate, even as tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States continued to spiral across the Gulf region.

According to Gulf News, citing Oman’s Maritime Security Centre, the vessel ‘Skylight’ was struck about five nautical miles north of Khasab Port. Authorities launched a coordinated emergency response to secure the crew and stabilise the situation.

BREAKING: Iran has attacked the Palau-flagged oil tanker Skylight as it was passinf through the Strait of Hormuz right off the coast of Oman. 4 sailors wounded in the attack. The entire crew has been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/wDX5X2czq6

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 1, 2026

All 20 crew members were evacuated safely, including 15 Indian nationals and five Iranian nationals. Medical teams attended to the injured, with preliminary reports indicating that four crew members sustained injuries of varying severity and were shifted for treatment. Omani officials have not yet disclosed the source of the attack or the extent of the damage to the tanker.

The maritime strike comes amid rapidly intensifying hostilities following high-profile killings in Tehran.

Iranian state media IRNA, cited by Al Jazeera, reported that Iranian Army Chief of Staff Abdul Rahim Mousavi and Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh were killed in Israeli-US strikes. Several other senior commanders were also reportedly killed, with names to be announced later.

Earlier, the Israeli Air Force confirmed carrying out strikes on military targets in Iran, saying seven senior defence officials had been eliminated. Those named included Ali Shamkhani and Mohammad Pakpour.

The Israeli military said the strikes were part of “Operation Roaring Lion,” a campaign that it claimed followed months of joint planning with US forces. The operation also resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, marking a dramatic escalation in the conflict.

In response, Iran launched coordinated attacks on US-linked targets across several Gulf Arab states, according to Al Jazeera. Tehran described the strikes as retaliation for what it called a large-scale joint assault on its territory by the United States and Israel.

Iranian outlets, including Fars news agency, reported strikes at multiple locations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, all of which host US military installations. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Israeli and US facilities in the Middle East had been hit by “powerful Iranian missile strikes” and warned that operations would continue.

The widening conflict has triggered diplomatic outreach by India and prompted expressions of concern from regional and international leaders, amid fears of a broader regional war.