A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz, causing a small fire and a blackout onboard, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Friday.
The fire was extinguished and no casualties or environmental damage were reported, UKMTO said.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Iran’s rail and auto sectors and their foreign suppliers, the Treasury Department said on Thursday, widening its wartime economic campaign to isolate Tehran.
The move extends US economic pressure on Iran from sea to land, targeting sectors Tehran has leaned on since a naval blockade cut off its oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
But the expanding sanctions risk inflicting severe costs on ordinary Iranians, one analyst said.
