Three ships attacked in the Strait of Hormuz

Three ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center reported. A cargo ship off the coast of Oman was struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire on board. Its crew evacuated. A container ship west of Ras al-Khaimah and a bulk carrier northwest of Dubai were also hit.

The UKTMO is urging vessels to pass through the area with caution and report any suspicious activity. The agency classifies the threat level as "critical".

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which is strategically important for maritime transportation, has been practically stopped since the beginning of the U.S. and Israeli military operation against Iran. In recent days, several attacks have been recorded from the Iranian side on ships passing through this route, CNBC recalls.

The U.S. has allowed naval escorts to protect shipping in the region, but has not yet conducted any such operations. On Tuesday, March 10, the White House denied a social media post by the U.S. Secretary of Energy claiming that the U.S. Navy had successfully escorted a tanker through the strait. The post was later deleted.

At the same time, US President Donald Trump warned Iran against mining the strait - something that CNN previously reported was happening.

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor