Multiple merchant vessels were reportedly hit by disabling fire during overnight military activity, while a separate tanker was struck by a drone in Iraqi waters.
WEB DESK: Several merchant vessels in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman were hit by disabling fire during overnight military activity, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), as maritime tensions intensified amid the escalating US-Iran conflict.
UKMTO said it could not immediately confirm whether there were casualties or any environmental impact from the incidents. Authorities were aware of the reports and investigations were continuing.
Separate tanker struck in Iraqi waters
In a separate incident, a Panama-flagged oil tanker carrying about 2 million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil was struck by a drone in Iraqi territorial waters on Wednesday, Iraqi port officials told Reuters.
The vessel, New Andros, caught fire after being hit at around 6 a.m. local time, according to two Iraqi port officials. All 22 crew members were reported safe.
Iraq’s Oil Ministry later said the tanker had been struck by an unknown source and suffered minor damage to its hull. It confirmed that there were no injuries and no leakage of the vessel’s cargo into the water.
The tanker was being used to store fuel oil and was chartered by the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company.
Vessel reported listing near Dubai
UKMTO also reported another maritime incident about 24 nautical miles from Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates.
A vessel was seen listing while at anchor, potentially indicating that it had taken on water after being struck by an unknown projectile. UKMTO said the report came from a third party.
The agency did not identify the vessel or establish who was responsible for the reported attack.
Iran claims attacks on 10 vessels
The incidents came after a major escalation in maritime hostilities involving Iran and the United States around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that it had attacked 10 vessels, including two US vessels and eight oil tankers, after US forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers. The IRGC said the vessels had attempted to enter an area it considered prohibited and unsafe.
The Iranian claims have not independently established the extent of damage to the vessels.
The US military had said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers following attempted Iranian missile attacks against a US Navy warship.
Shipping risks rise in key energy corridor
The latest incidents have added to concerns over maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy routes.
The waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is a major route for global oil and energy shipments. Any prolonged disruption could increase pressure on international energy markets and global shipping.
Reuters reported separately that the latest tit-for-tat attacks represent the biggest declared wave of attacks on shipping by Iran and the United States since the six-month-old conflict began.
With several maritime incidents now being reported across the Gulf region, authorities and shipping operators are facing an increasingly uncertain security environment.
