“Sailing Over a Ball of Fire”: Iraqi Captain Keeps Tanker Moving Amid Rising Attacks Near Strait of Hormuz

Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri, a veteran Iraqi seafarer, continues to operate the Palau-flagged tanker Sea Moon despite escalating attacks and growing regional tensions that have made some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes perilous.

In this picture courtesy of Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri, right, he supervises sailors on the deck of the Sea Moon oil tanker on the waters the Gulf of Oman, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Rahman Al-Jubouri via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Al-Jubouri has worked at sea since 1984 and has lived through the Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War. Today he and his reduced crew are navigating the high-risk waters between the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman en route to discharge oil at Ras Isa port in Yemen.

In this photo courtesy of Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri, left, he supervises sailors on the deck of the Sea Moon oil tanker on the waters the Gulf of Oman, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Rahman Al-Jubouri via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Shipping Under Threat

Commercial vessels have increasingly found themselves in the crossfire amid rising confrontations involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Several tankers have been struck in attacks attributed to Iranian forces and allied groups, and repeated threats to close the Strait of Hormuz — a vital chokepoint for global oil flows — have forced ships to delay, reroute or remain stranded in the Gulf. On Sunday, U.S. forces seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to bypass a newly imposed naval blockade near the strait.

In this picture courtesy of Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri, he, left, supervises sailors on the deck of the Sea Moon oil tanker on the waters the Gulf of Oman, Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Capt. Rahman Al-Jubouri via AP)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Life Aboard the Sea Moon

Al-Jubouri has been aboard the Sea Moon for four months. He says the crew has been pared down from 27 to 17 as some sailors left out of fear. To prepare for potential attacks, the captain runs regular safety drills and trains crew members on how to respond if the ship comes under fire.

“Work has become a real risk; we don’t know when we might be bombed. We’re sailing over a ball of fire,”

That caution follows a prior incident in which the Sea Moon was shelled while docked at a Yemeni port. Al-Jubouri cut the mooring lines, started the engines and sailed the vessel away to protect the crew and the ship. Shrapnel struck the tanker and caused minor damage, but no one was injured. The vessel later returned to port operations and resumed scheduled voyages.

Human Cost

Beyond the physical danger, long deployments and separation from family weigh heavily on crew members. Al-Jubouri has not seen his family for months and describes persistent homesickness among seafarers, even though internet access on board allows some contact with loved ones. He also reports that basic provisions such as food and bottled water are regularly restocked in port and that there are no major supply shortages.

After four decades at sea, Al-Jubouri says experience helps him manage pressure, but he acknowledges the uncertainty and strain that come with operating in one of the world’s most volatile maritime corridors.