The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that an oil tanker was attacked by an "unknown object" while anchored in the Oman Gulf, approximately 23 nautical miles east of the UAE's Fujairah port, as Iran continued its attacks on targets in Iraq and the UAE.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that an oil tanker was attacked by an "unknown object" while anchored in the Oman Gulf, about 23 nautical miles east of the UAE's Fujairah port. The report stated the vessel suffered minor damage, no crew members were injured, and there were no reports of environmental damage. The tanker, whose nationality has not been disclosed, is the 21st vessel attacked in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began on 28 Feb.
Meanwhile, attacks in Iraq continued on Tuesday (17 Mar), following a drone strike on Monday that caused a fire at a luxury hotel in the Green Zone, a heavily secured area in Baghdad housing government buildings and foreign embassies.
On Tuesday morning, the US embassy in the Green Zone was targeted. A security official told AFP that "three drones and four rockets struck the embassy, with at least one drone crashing inside the compound."
A witness told Reuters they saw at least three drones approaching the US embassy; two were shot down, but the third crashed inside the embassy grounds. An Iraqi security source told AFP this was "the most intense attack since the strikes began."
Iran has also continued its attacks on the United Arab Emirates. Since the conflict started, the Iranian military has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE, targeting its transportation and oil infrastructure.
Flights were temporarily suspended on Monday after a fire near Dubai International Airport, the busiest international travel hub, following a "drone-related incident." Drone attacks also caused fires at the strategically important Fujairah port, one of the largest oil storage facilities in the region. Additionally, a rocket attack on a vehicle killed one Palestinian near Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.
Reuters reported that air traffic in the UAE returned to normal after the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) "temporarily closed the country's airspace amid rapidly evolving regional security developments" on Tuesday morning.
Reuters further reported that the GCAA announced air traffic across all UAE airspace had returned to normal. The GCAA emphasized that "continuous real-time monitoring remains in place to ensure the highest level of flight safety."
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