A drone strike on a Kuwaiti supertanker off Dubai caused a fire, but all crew members are safe and no pollution was reported.
A Kuwaiti supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude was struck by a drone off Dubai, sparking a fire that was contained without injuries or pollution, reported Ventura, California's gCaptain.
Dubai officials said emergency crews responded at Anchorage E, confirming that all 24 crew members were safe. Firefighting units worked overnight to extinguish the blaze, which authorities later declared fully contained with no oil leakage.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) stated that it received a report of a tanker hit by an 'unknown projectile' about 31 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, causing a fire onboard.
Ship-tracking analysts identified the vessel as the Kuwaiti-flagged VLCC Al Salmi, which was loaded with 1.2 million barrels of Saudi crude and 800,000 barrels of Kuwaiti crude. AIS data indicated its next destination as Qingdao, China.
Hours earlier, UKMTO warned that a containership northeast of Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, reported two projectiles splashing nearby within one hour. No injuries or environmental damage were reported.
The incidents mark the first confirmed attacks in the region since March 22, suggesting a renewed escalation amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict.
US President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that Washington is in 'serious discussions' with a 'new, and more reasonable, regime' in Iran. He warned that if talks fail and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the US could strike Iran's critical infrastructure, including oil fields and desalination plants.
Since late February, UKMTO has logged 24 incidents across the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, including 16 confirmed attacks.
While operations at Dubai's anchorage have resumed, the strike highlights the vulnerability of Gulf energy shipping and is expected to reinforce war-risk premiums, complicating efforts to restore confidence in regional transits.
