Istanbul / Anadolu

The UK Maritime Trade Operations announced on Monday that a ship was attacked by an 'unknown projectile' off the coast of Oman, causing a fire on board and the evacuation of its crew.

In an initial statement, the agency said the incident occurred 8 nautical miles northwest of the Omani area of Kumzar, adding that military authorities reported the ship was on fire.

It clarified in a later update that it had reclassified the incident as an 'attack' after the marine safety officer confirmed the ship was hit by a projectile of unknown origin.

It added that the ship's crew was safely evacuated and rescued by a tugboat, while the ship remains burning and adrift without anyone in control.

The agency confirmed no environmental impact from the incident has been recorded so far.

It called on transiting ships in the area to exercise extreme caution and report any suspicious activity immediately.

For more than a week, Tehran has been launching attacks on what it says are US military facilities in Arab countries, including Oman, in response to daily US bombings that Iran is facing.

US President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that the ceasefire stipulated in the memorandum of understanding signed with Tehran on June 18 has ended.

Trump's announcement came after Iran targeted three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran insists on imposing a mechanism to regulate ship passage through the strategic waterway, while Washington demands guaranteed freedom of navigation and its security in the strait.

The escalation has disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and threatened aviation and energy supplies, amid intermittent airspace closures and warnings of targeting US facilities and interests outside the Middle East.