Ship Seized Off UAE Heads Toward Iran as Cargo Vessel Sinks Near Oman

A ship anchored off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates was seized by unauthorized personnel and is heading toward Iranian waters, the British military said Thursday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported the vessel was taken while anchored 38 nautical miles northeast of the UAE port of Fujairah, an important oil export terminal.

The U.K. maritime center did not name the ship and said it is investigating. Hours earlier, an Indian-flagged cargo ship sank off the coast of Oman after an attack sparked a fire aboard the vessel. The ship, identified as the Haji Ali, was en route from Somalia to Sharjah when the incident occurred on Wednesday.

All 14 Indian crew members were rescued by Oman’s coast guard and were safe, according to Indian authorities. India’s foreign ministry called the sinking “unacceptable” and condemned continued attacks on commercial shipping and civilian mariners. It did not identify who carried out the attack.

The incidents come as tensions have escalated near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.

Iranian officials used the moment to restate long-held positions on the waterway. ” He added that it “has always been our property,” according to state TV. Iran’s judiciary spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, told the state-owned Iran Daily that Iran has the legal and judicial right to seize oil tankers in the strait connected to the U.S. He cited alleged violations of international maritime laws by the United States.

Jahangir did not explicitly refer to Thursday’s seizure. The country seized a number of ships last week, including a tanker identified as the Ocean Koi. Iranian authorities said the vessel was attempting to disrupt oil exports and was taken to Iran’s southern coast after being seized in the Gulf of Oman.

The U.S. had sanctioned the Ocean Koi in February as part of a “shadow fleet” transporting Iranian oil. President Donald Trump met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. The White House said both sides had agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open.

Iranian semiofficial news agencies reported that Chinese ships began passing through the strait Wednesday night under new Iranian protocols after requests from China’s foreign minister and ambassador to Iran. ” Separately, Iran said it will not enter more talks with the United States unless five conditions are met.

Those include paying reparations for the war and accepting Iran’s sovereignty over the strait, according to Fars news agency. Just last week, U.S. forces fired on and disabled Iranian oil tankers that it said were trying to breach its blockade of Iran’s ports.

The turmoil in the strait, which carried a fifth of the world’s oil before the conflict, has disrupted global energy markets and raised fuel prices. The seizure off the UAE occurred hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he had quietly visited the country during the Israeli-U.S. war with Iran, though the UAE denied the visit.

The Gulf nation normalized relations with Israel in 2020. Iran has criticized that agreement and has suggested Israel maintains a military and intelligence presence in the UAE.

The top U.S. commander in the Middle East said Thursday that Iran’s military capabilities have been degraded but its leaders continue to affect shipping through rhetoric. “Their voice is very loud, and the threats are clearly heard by the merchant industry and the insurance industry,” Adm.

Brad Cooper told lawmakers in Congress. He said the U.S. has the military power to permanently reopen the strait and escort ships but deferred to policymakers amid ongoing negotiations. The incidents add to a series of seizures and attacks in the region.

The U.K. maritime center continues to investigate Thursday’s vessel seizure. No group has yet claimed responsibility for either the seizure or the sinking of the Haji Ali.