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Iran claims to have struck a small Omani island in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting tanker shipping infrastructure as CENTCOM maintains its blockade of Iranian ports and protects commercial shipping from Iranian attacks along the southern route.
Three sources also confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday that navigation systems and communications equipment on Didamar Island, also known as Little Quoin Island, had been attacked, raising concerns about the vulnerability of maritime infrastructure used to maintain oil shipments across the Gulf.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy had targeted the island, alleging the systems were being used to help ships pass through the strait without permission from Tehran.
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A satellite image shows Didamar Island, Oman (Google/Airbus/document via Reuters)
Iranian state television also claimed that personnel and equipment on the island were “contributing to the flow of oil smuggling by the enemy”, with the IRGC saying it had carried out the strikes, Reuters reported.
Video published by Reuters showed smoke rising near the rock outcropping.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said it identified the attack as taking place on November 8, before Iranian state media claimed responsibility on November 10.
The ISW also questioned the extent of the reported damage, pointing out that commercial ships continued to use the southern route after the attack.
“The extent of damage to these and affected systems remains unclear at the time of writing,” the ISW said in its assessment.
Satellite images from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 program, cited by Reuters and dated November 8, also showed apparent burn marks near the island’s radar and radio equipment.
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A ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz during a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran, April 8, 2026. (Shady Alassar/Anadolu/Getty Images)
The strike comes as U.S. forces conduct ship escort missions through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The US Navy imposed its blockade of Iranian ports in April after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in February amid escalating tensions. The United States lifted the blockade in June following a temporary ceasefire agreement, but then reinstated it in July.
Commercial and allied shipping using the waterway are advised to take a southern route through Omani territorial waters, which are outside Tehran’s direct military control and overseen by CENTCOM.
The latest incident on Didamar Island comes as Gulf oil exporters struggle to restore shipments disrupted by the conflict.
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An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speedboat sails in the Persian Gulf during an IRGC maritime parade marking the Persian Gulf National Day near the Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran, April 29, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
According to Reuters, regional oil exports returned to more than 80% of their pre-war levels in September and October, thanks to CENTCOM assistance and increased Saudi exports via the Red Sea.
Shipping companies have also relied on offshore tanker-to-tanker transfers near Oman and the United Arab Emirates to maintain flows.
Didamar, meanwhile, is owned by Oman, making the reported attack particularly sensitive as Tehran seeks to disrupt maritime operations in the region. It is a small, uninhabited rocky island located about 10 nautical miles north of the tip of the Musandam Peninsula, Oman, close to one of the main commercial shipping routes through the strait.
The island has long served as a navigational landmark for ships sailing along the waterway, notably thanks to a lighthouse built in 1914.
Its maritime infrastructure would include a radar system mounted on a tower of around 25 meters and radio communications equipment used to help ships navigate the narrow passage.
The island has also been associated with the Hormuz Control Center, which coordinates maritime traffic in the region.
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A satellite image shows the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, vital for global energy supplies. (Amanda Macias/Fox News Digital)
Arabian Maritime and Navigation Aids Services (AMMAS) has been identified as a provider of navigation support infrastructure in the region, including maritime lights, buoys and other equipment.
The Didamar attack also follows U.S. military operations against Iranian targets elsewhere in the waterway.
U.S. forces struck targets on the Iranian island of Qeshm on November 2, and officials described the strikes as “defensive” actions targeting Iranian surface-to-air missile threats.
Qeshm Island, located near the Strait of Hormuz, is home to Iranian naval facilities and military infrastructure associated with the Revolutionary Guards.
President Donald Trump also acknowledged on Nov. 6 that U.S. forces continued to carry out limited strikes against Iranian targets.
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Asked by a reporter about the strikes near Qeshm Island, Trump responded: “I don’t want to talk about it. We’re doing minor strikes. They built a little sort of anti-aircraft device, and we took it down in about 15 minutes, maybe five.”
Gn world
