London

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Wednesday reported that a cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a fire onboard and forcing the crew to evacuate.

According to the agency, the incident occurred around 11 nautical miles north of Oman. The vessel requested assistance after the impact caused a fire.

UKMTO later said the ship’s company security officer reported that the fire had been extinguished and that there was no environmental impact at present, though a skeleton crew remained onboard.

In its advisory, the agency urged ships transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident.

Earlier, UKMTO had also reported another incident about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where the master of a bulk carrier said the vessel had been struck by an unidentified projectile. No injuries or environmental damage were reported, and the crew was said to be safe.

The developments come amid heightened tensions in the region following reports that Iran may have begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes that carries roughly one-fifth of global crude shipments.

Earlier, Donald Trump warned Tehran against deploying mines in the strategic waterway, saying the United States would take military action if such devices were not removed.

“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait… we want them removed immediately,” Trump said, warning that failure to do so would lead to severe military consequences.

In another post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that US forces had destroyed 10 inactive mine-laying boats or ships.

The United States Central Command also said US forces were working to reduce Iran’s maritime capabilities and prevent threats to international shipping in waters critical to global security and trade.

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The continuing security risks in the Strait of Hormuz have also begun to disrupt fuel supplies to several regions in Asia.