Maritime watchdog says several vessels on fire in Gulf amid Iran-US war

Several vessels in the Gulf region were on fire, a British maritime agency reported on Wednesday. This followed Iran's claim that it had attacked 20 ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

How many ships has Iran attacked in the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that they attacked two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 "non-compliant vessels" trying to cross the strait. State media reported the figures, which bring the reported total to 20 ships targeted in a single day.

The latest round of attacks comes amid a deadlock in the six-month war. Iran has maintained its hold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while Washington continues pressing its counterblockade of Iranian ports.

What did the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency report?

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, said several merchant vessels in the Northern Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman were subject to disabling fire as part of ongoing military activity in the region. It also reported a vessel 24 nautical miles northwest of Port Rashid in the UAE that appeared to be listing, potentially due to an attack.

The master of a tanker reported sighting a vessel listing while at anchor, possibly indicating water ingress following a strike from an unknown projectile, UKMTO said.

Have US vessels been attacked by Iran?

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said two US vessels were among those targeted on Wednesday, according to state media. The attacks followed earlier US strikes on Iranian vessels. Tehran has also threatened to attack oil tankers off the coasts of Kuwait and Bahrain.