A vessel collided with two other ships near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to shipping sources speaking to Reuters. The British maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed the incident occurred 22 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, but stated that it was not security-related.
The collision happened amid heightened regional tensions, as Iran and Israel continued exchanging strikes for a fifth consecutive day. The recent escalation began with Israel’s large-scale assault last Friday, intended to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Naval sources also reported a rise in electronic interference affecting commercial vessel navigation systems in the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding Gulf, which is disrupting ship movements in the area.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway between Oman and Iran, connects the Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It serves as a major transit route for global energy supplies, with an estimated 17.8 million to 20.8 million barrels of oil and fuel products passing through daily between early 2022 and last month, according to Vortexa data.
As of early Tuesday, neither the UAE foreign ministry nor Khor Fakkan’s container terminal had issued a response to Reuters’ requests for comment.
