Several merchant vessels in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman were struck by “disabling fire” during military activity in the region overnight, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Wednesday.
The British navy-affiliated maritime security agency said it was unable to confirm any casualties or environmental damage. Investigations were ongoing and authorities were aware of the reports.
The reports came after a sharp escalation in maritime tensions following US strikes on five Iranian crude oil tankers. Later, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had retaliated by attacking two US vessels and eight oil tankers in the Gulf.
The Guards said the 10 vessels had tried to cross a part of the Strait of Hormuz that they called “prohibited and unsafe”. US has not confirmed the Iranian claims
Separately, the UKMTO said a vessel was seen listing while anchored about 24 nautical miles off Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates. The vessel may have hit an unidentified projectile, the agency said, and taken on water.
The incidents add to growing risks to commercial shipping in the Gulf and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for the world’s energy supplies.
