A tugboat was hit by two unidentified projectiles in waters near the port of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, causing heavy damage and serious injuries to several crew members, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.
The incident follows another strike a day earlier near Al Jubail in Saudi Arabia, where an unidentified object hit a vessel. All crew on that ship were reported safe. Neither attack has been attributed to any party in the reporting.
Commercial vessels, tugboats and other ships in the area have been advised to stay highly vigilant and to immediately report suspicious activity or unusual movements to security forces.
Speaking at a CBS town hall on Saturday evening, US Vice President JD Vance said Iran poses a serious threat to the world and accused Tehran of trying to disrupt global energy supply chains and blockade sea lanes. He said that without the US Navy protecting oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, petrol and diesel prices worldwide would be about three times higher.
The US military said about 97 percent of vessels attempting to transit the strait had reached their destinations without being hit by Iranian missiles or other attacks. While acknowledging that commercial ships have been targeted in some areas, it said the waterway remains open and traffic continues.
*Note: This is based only on the text you provided and has not been independently verified. Vance’s accusations and the 97 percent figure are claims as reported. No dateline or incident date was given, so I have omitted them. I can write headline options or a shorter version if you’d like.*