Projectile Strikes Reported Near Vessel at Port in UAE

(MENAFN) The UK Office of Maritime Trade Operations raised the alarm on Sunday after unknown projectiles were reported in dangerously close proximity to a vessel docked at a port in the United Arab Emirates, adding a fresh flashpoint to an already volatile regional security landscape.

In a formal warning notice, UKMTO disclosed it had received reports of a suspicious incident at Khor Fakkan Port in Sharjah, UAE, prompting an immediate investigation by authorities.

The vessel's captain reported personally witnessing several projectiles strike the water in rapid succession alarmingly close to his container ship while loading operations were actively underway. The nature of the projectiles and the precise circumstances surrounding the incident remain under active investigation, UKMTO said.

The agency issued an advisory urging all vessels operating in the area to exercise heightened vigilance and promptly report any further suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.

Sharjah authorities were swift to respond, confirming that the incident had produced no reported injuries. The Sharjah Government Media Bureau posted on X — the US-based social media company — that further updates would be issued as information becomes available.

The port incident arrives against a deeply unsettled regional backdrop. Since US and Israeli forces launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28 — a campaign that has since killed more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei — the wider Gulf region has remained on a knife's edge. Tehran has responded with sustained drone and missile barrages targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states hosting US military assets, while simultaneously imposing restrictions on maritime traffic through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz.

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