Qatar's Ministry of Defence said three Iranian cruise missiles were fired at the country on April 1, with armed forces intercepting two but a third striking an oil tanker leased to Qatar Energy in the country's territorial waters.

The ministry said the 21-member crew was evacuated from the stricken tanker without casualties. Authorities coordinated with relevant agencies to manage the incident, the statement said.

The strike on a Qatari-affiliated vessel marks a significant escalation in Iran's targeting of Gulf state energy infrastructure.

The attack was confirmed by the United Kingdom's Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO), which reported the attack at 22:35 on March 31. 

"UKMTO has received a report of an incident 17NM north of Doha, Qatar. The Company Security Officer reported the tanker has been hit by unknown projectile on the port side causing damage to the hull above water line. The crew are reported as safe. There is no environmental impact. Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO."

Qatar has sought to maintain a degree of diplomatic distance from the conflict, but has faced repeated threats since Iran attacked the world's largest LNG production facility at Ras Laffan on March 18 in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iran's South Pars gas field.

The Ras Laffan attack sent helium prices surging more than 100% globally and threatened semiconductor supply chains.

Qatar is one of the world's largest exporters of LNG and a critical energy supplier to Asia and Europe. Any sustained disruption to its export capacity would have far-reaching consequences for global energy markets already strained by the Hormuz closure and oil prices at around $115 a barrel.

The attack also complicates Tehran's diplomatic position. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X on March 31 calling Saudi Arabia a "brother country" and insisting Iran's military operations were directed only at its enemies.

The missile strike on a Qatari vessel undermines that messaging and risks pushing Doha further toward the US-led coalition.

At least 25 people have been killed across GCC member states since the war began on February 28. The UAE's Ministry of Defence said its air defences had intercepted more than 400 ballistic missiles and nearly 2,000 drones since the start of the conflict.