Tanker attacked off Qatar as Iran claims route transporting oil through strait of Hormuz will be ‘closed’

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the war, which began with a massive wave of surprise US-Israeli strikes against Iran, have been deadlocked for months. The strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed since 28 February. Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

A tanker sailing off the north coast of Qatar has been attacked, causing an unknown number of casualties, a British maritime security agency said. The attack came as Iran declared it would close a route in the strait of Hormuz being used to circumvent Tehran’s blockade of traffic.

The vessel was in the Gulf, about 500km (300 miles) west of the strait of Hormuz, when it reported being struck “by multiple projectiles”, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said on Wednesday. The UK authority did not specify the origin of the ship.