A Japanese oil tanker was damaged while sailing less than ten miles from the coast in the Strait of Hormuz. The M. Star, owned by Matsui O.S.K., reported an explosion on board around 12:30 a.m. local time (2030 GMT) July 28. Photos of the M. Star show a dent on the starboard side near the stern, seemingly entirely above the waterline and roughly five square meters (15 feet). There is no visible surface fragmentation damage or penetration to the hull. While Matsui O.S.K. asserts that the ship was attacked, the Omani Coast Guard initially claimed that the damage was due to a wave caused by a magnitude 3.5 earthquake reported by Iran off the coast of Bandar Abbas. While it is possible a rogue wave struck the ship, it is unlikely that a magnitude-3.5 earthquake would be able to generate waves large enough to cause significant damage to a ship the size of the M. Star.
