Abu Dhabi [UAE], March 22 (ANI): A commercial bulk carrier reported an explosion near the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by an “unknown projectile” off the United Arab Emirates coast, British maritime authorities said.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning saying the incident occurred about 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah. The master of the bulk carrier reported an explosion in close proximity to the vessel.
“UKMTO has received a report of an incident 15NM north of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The Master of a bulk carrier reported an explosion from an unknown projectile in close proximity to the vessel,” the advisory said. Authorities confirmed there were no casualties and all crew are reported safe. Investigations are under way, and vessels were advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.
No group has claimed responsibility and the projectile’s source remains unidentified. The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran recently targeting vessels linked to the United States and Israel, disrupting oil and gas shipments through the waterway that handles nearly a fifth of global energy supplies.
The strike followed a warning from US President Donald Trump, who posted that “If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!”
G7 foreign ministers have also signalled readiness to act to protect energy flows, saying they “express support to our partners in the region” in response to what they characterised as acts of aggression by Iran and its proxies. (ANI)
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