Qatar has warned Iran that it will bear full legal responsibility after three tankers, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, were struck within hours in the strait of Hormuz close to Oman. The incident matters because Qatar has been acting as a key mediator in talks between the US and Iran, and the strike on the Al Rekayyat marked the first time a Qatari vessel has been hit since the war between the US and Iran began on 28 February. Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, called it a "serious and explicit violation" of international law and an "act of aggression".

The vessels were struck near a proposed new shipping corridor along Oman's coastline, an idea Iran opposes because it wants to charge ships using the waterway. Iran blamed the US, arguing that Washington's efforts to open new routes breached a memorandum of understanding that Tehran says leaves Iran, in consultation with Oman, to manage the strait's reopening over 30 days. Iranian officials insisted on a right to impose fees for "securing safe passage", rejected an Omani proposal modelled on the Malacca and Singapore straits, and turned down French and British offers to help de-mine and secure the southern route, saying Iran alone would handle it.