Ship ablaze off UAE coast after being struck by projectile

By AP 19 March 2026, 3:43 am

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An attack set a ship ablaze early Thursday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, authorities say.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center says “a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, which has resulted in a fire onboard.”

It says the vessel is just off the coast of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, near the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas typically flows.

Over 20 vessels have been attacked during the Iran war so far as Tehran tries to squeeze shippers as part of its pressure campaign over the conflict.