A ship anchored near the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iranian waters while another cargo vessel sank after being attacked off the coast of Oman, according to maritime authorities, in the latest sign of heightened instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials said it was not immediately clear who was responsible for either event.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations center said it received reports that a vessel anchored about 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE port of Fujairah was boarded by unauthorized personnel and later diverted toward Iran. British military monitoring indicated the ship was heading into Iranian waters, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
Separately, Indian authorities confirmed that a cargo ship flying the Indian flag sank after being attacked while sailing off Oman. The vessel, which was traveling from Somalia to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, caught fire after the incident. All 14 crew members were rescued by Oman's coast guard and were reported safe, according to India's shipping ministry.
India's government described continued attacks on commercial vessels as ''unacceptable'' but did not identify who carried out the strike. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, Independent reported.
Shipping disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns among commercial operators and maritime security agencies monitoring traffic through the Gulf of Oman and surrounding waters.
The latest incidents come amid continued diplomatic friction and military pressure in the region. Iranian officials are seeking to assert authority over the strategic waterway and have defended what they describe as their right to act against vessels linked to hostile states.
Iranian state-linked reporting said officials reiterated that the country maintains control over the strait and has legal grounds to detain or seize ships it considers in violation of maritime rules.
Iran has also linked recent maritime actions to what it describes as violations of international law by its adversaries, while Western governments have continued to dispute those claims and call for the protection of commercial shipping routes.
The disruptions come as international attention remains fixed on wider geopolitical tensions in the region, including high-level diplomatic activity involving the U.S. and its partners, where officials have stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open to global trade, The Associated Press reported.
Security agencies in the region have previously warned that repeated incidents in the Gulf of Oman and near UAE ports have increased risk for commercial vessels operating through the corridor.
