Regional security sources say a UAE‑flagged vessel has been struck by missiles in the Gulf of Oman, in what could be the first confirmed hit on an Emirati ship since the US–Iran war erupted. Initial reports describe at least two impacts on the starboard side, igniting containers and sending thick black smoke over one of the world’s busiest energy corridors.

The Emirati defence ministry confirms “an incident involving a UAE‑operated logistics vessel,” but stops short of blaming Tehran, saying only that a joint investigation with US Central Command is under way. Pentagon officials brief anonymously that radar and satellite data point to Iranian coastal launch sites, and that an American destroyer in the area picked up the missile trajectories seconds before impact.

Crew were forced to abandon ship as fires spread; nearby tankers relayed frantic Mayday calls while US and UAE helicopters winched survivors from life rafts. Casualty figures remain unclear, but port officials in Fujairah say wounded sailors have been admitted with blast and burn injuries, some in critical condition.

Iranian state media hails the strike as a blow against “Gulf partners in American aggression,” while insisting the ship was carrying military cargo. Abu Dhabi, walking a тιԍнтrope between alliance with Washington and fear of wider escalation, calls the attack a “grave violation of maritime security” and warns it will “respond in coordination with partners.”

For global markets and Gulf capitals alike, the message is ominous: if a UAE vessel can be hit in open waters, the red line between strikes on military ᴀssets and the broader shipping lifeline of the region may already have been crossed.