The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority warned, on Wednesday, of attacks on ships in the Arabian Gulf, after it received reports of several commercial ships being exposed to fire that led to their disruption in the northern Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
The authority added that it has not yet been able to confirm the occurrence of injuries or environmental damage, noting that the competent authorities are investigating the incidents.
She called on sailors to follow the latest information related to maritime security and to exercise caution as the operational situation continues to change.
In a separate notification, the authority said that it had received a report about an incident involving a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz, during which the ship was involved in an incident related to the ongoing military activity in the region.
The authority did not provide details about the identity of the ship or the nature of the damage, and said that the authorities are aware of the accident and investigations are continuing.
A ship tilts off the Emirates
The authority issued another warning regarding an accident that occurred 24 nautical miles northwest of Port Rashid in the UAE.
She said that the captain of a tanker reported seeing a ship tilted while it was docked, and water may have been leaking into it after it was attacked by a projectile of unknown origin.
It called on passing ships to be cautious and report any suspicious activity, while the authorities continue the investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident.
In Iraqi territorial waters, two port officials said that the New Andros oil tanker, flying the Panama flag and carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil, was attacked by a drone.
The two officials added that Iraqi rescue boats extinguished a fire that broke out on board the tanker, and there were no reports of injuries or deaths.
It was not immediately clear whether the Iraqi incident was among the incidents referred to by the British Maritime Trade Operations Authority in its warning about commercial ships in the northern Gulf.
Naval escalation
The warnings come after a new round of exchanged strikes between the United States and Iran.
On Tuesday, the US Central Command (Centcom) announced the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers, four of which were in the Gulf of Oman and the fifth near Kharg Island, after two ballistic missile attacks that it said targeted an American warship during the previous two days.
Centcom said that the American ship avoided the two attacks, and that the Iranian tanker crews received orders to leave it before it was targeted and taken out of service.
The Revolutionary Guard announced, on Wednesday, that it had attacked two American ships and eight tankers in the Gulf in response to the American strikes. It also said that it had targeted ten other ships that attempted to cross an area in the Strait of Hormuz, which it described as “prohibited and unsafe.”
Independent sources did not confirm Iranian claims about hitting the ships that the Revolutionary Guard announced they had targeted.
The Revolutionary Guard Navy also warned tanker crews in the ports and marinas of Kuwait and Bahrain to remain on board its ships, threatening to target them in response to US strikes on Iranian tankers.
Iran continues to impose restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States imposes a blockade on Iranian ports and oil exports.
An Israeli official and a knowledgeable source said that Israel had informed the British Consulate in East Jerusalem that it must be closed, and that the diplomats assigned to it would lose their accreditation within 30 days.
The two sources added that British representatives appointed to a US-led Gaza coordination mission in Israel, as well as British diplomats residing in Ramallah, must leave within seven days.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said yesterday, Tuesday, that Britain should close its consulate in East Jerusalem, which is accredited to the Palestinian Authority. In response to Britain's imposition of sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
France and Canada also said, along with Britain, that they would ban the import of goods from the settlements.
Three sources said that the Israeli government, which had been anticipating the sanctions, was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss its response to the countries that also supported the British action.
France and Sweden, which supported the British action, also have consulates in Jerusalem accredited to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel previously forced diplomatic offices to close in Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority. Canada has an office in Ramallah.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed cooperation on security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz during a summit in Paris on Tuesday, but the talks did not address the deployment of military forces, the presidential office in Seoul said.
Lee, who is on an official visit to France, stated in a joint press conference that he discussed the issue of the Strait of Hormuz with Macron as part of broader talks on international security issues.
Lee said: “South Korea and France agreed to continue close coordination, so that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz can be restored and global supply chains can be quickly stabilized.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital energy transport route for South Korea, which relied on this waterway for 61 percent of its crude oil imports and 54 percent of its naphtha imports last year.
In a briefing after the summit, National Security Adviser Wee Sung-Lak said that the discussions focused on how South Korea could contribute to international efforts related to maritime security in the strait, and not on deploying troops.
Speaking about Seoul’s contribution options, Wei said: “We are still in the review stage. “No decision has been taken yet.”
He added that Iran expressed its interest and requested clarification through diplomatic channels following media reports about a possible role for South Korea in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that Seoul's review of options to contribute to the Strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with investment discussions with the United States, rejecting suggestions that there is a connection between the two issues.
For its part, the South Korean presidential office said separately that reports that the United States had set a deadline for Seoul to send forces to the Strait of Hormuz were incorrect.
Seoul said last week that it was studying various options, including military measures, to contribute to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while denying reports that a decision to deploy forces had already been taken.
This followed US President Donald Trump's decision in August to reduce the scope of joint military exercises with South Korea, which he said was partly due to Seoul's refusal to provide assistance to Washington in the conflict with Iran.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman warned this week that any South Korean military participation in operations in the Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz would be considered support for American “aggression,” and would entail dire consequences.
