A crude oil tanker was struck by a projectile at an anchorage off the coast of Dubai, triggering a fire onboard. No casualties or pollution have been reported.
The Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi was attacked on March 30 while anchored approximately 31 nautical miles northwest of Dubai. According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel was hit on its starboard side, causing a fire and damage to the hull.
Emergency response teams were deployed to the scene, and the fire was successfully extinguished by maritime firefighting units. Dubai authorities confirmed that all 24 crew members are safe, while a technical assessment of the vessel is ongoing.
The tanker, built in 2011 and operated by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), has a length of 332 meters, a beam of 60 meters, and a deadweight of approximately 320,000 tonnes. At the time of the incident, the vessel was fully laden, raising initial concerns about a potential oil spill, though no pollution has been reported so far.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of attacks on merchant shipping across the region amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. While much of the focus remains on security risks in the Strait of Hormuz, recent strikes have occurred across a wider corridor stretching throughout the Arabian Gulf.
