Ship Seized Near UAE Coast and Redirected Toward Iranian Waters, UK Agency Says
Incident near Strait of Hormuz adds to mounting maritime tensions amid rival Iranian and US blockades
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A vessel anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near the strategic Strait of Hormuz was seized by unidentified individuals and is now heading toward Iranian territorial waters, a British maritime monitoring agency said on Thursday.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said the ship was “taken by unauthorized personnel whilst at anchor” around 38 nautical miles (70 kilometers) northeast of Fujairah, one of the UAE’s key ports on the Gulf of Oman.
According to the agency, the vessel subsequently altered course and was “now bound for Iranian territorial waters.”
No immediate details were released regarding the identity of the vessel, its crew, cargo, or the individuals involved in the seizure.
The incident comes amid sharply escalating security threats in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime chokepoints. Roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments normally pass through the narrow waterway linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
Regional shipping lanes have faced repeated disruption since the outbreak of war between Iran, Israel, and the United States on Feb. 28. Since then, Iran has largely restricted commercial shipping traffic through Hormuz, while Washington has imposed its own naval blockade targeting Iranian ports despite a fragile ceasefire announced on April 8.
The competing maritime restrictions have intensified fears over global energy supplies and commercial navigation in the Gulf region.
In recent days, multiple vessels have reportedly come under attack near Hormuz. On Sunday, South Korea said one of its cargo ships was struck by unidentified aircraft while transiting the strait. Separately, Qatari authorities said a freighter arriving from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone after entering Qatari waters.
The latest seizure is likely to heighten concerns among international shipping companies and naval forces operating in the Gulf, where commercial vessels increasingly face risks ranging from drone strikes and missile attacks to hijackings and electronic interference.
Iran has previously denied targeting civilian shipping and has accused the United States and its allies of militarizing Gulf waterways. Western governments, however, have repeatedly warned that regional instability and escalating military confrontation could threaten freedom of navigation through Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz has long been a flashpoint during periods of heightened tension involving Iran and Western powers, with previous incidents including tanker seizures, sabotage attacks, and confrontations involving naval patrols.