Several merchant vessels hit by disabling fire in Gulf and Gulf of Oman


An Iranian crude oil carrier identified as M/T Riesco burns as it sinks after being struck, which U.S. Central Command says it targeted after attempted Iranian missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days, at a location given as the Gulf of Oman, in this still image taken from video released September 8, 2026. U.S. Central Command/Handout via REUTERS

DUBAI, Sept 9 (Reuters) - ⁠Several merchant vessels in the northern Gulf ⁠and Gulf of Oman were hit ‌by disabling fire during military activity in the region overnight, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on ​Wednesday.

The British navy-affiliated UKMTO said ⁠it was unable ⁠to confirm any casualties or environmental impact.

Separately, UKMTO ⁠reported ‌another incident on Wednesday, 24 nautical miles from Port Rashid, in the ⁠United Arab Emirates. It said a vessel ​was sighted ‌listing while at anchor, possibly indicating it ⁠had taken ​on water following an attack by an unknown projectile.

On Tuesday, U.S. Central Command forces destroyed five ⁠Iranian crude oil tankers following ​attempted missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship over the previous two days.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said ⁠on Wednesday they had attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Gulf in response to the U.S. attack on ​the Iranian tankers.

The Guards said ⁠the 10 vessels had attempted to cross an ​area of the Strait ‌of Hormuz that they described ​as "prohibited and unsafe".

(Reporting by Jana Choukeir; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Alex Richardson)

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