British military reports tanker hit by projectiles off Qatar

A tanker sustained damage from two projectiles in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, according to the British military. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) stated the attack took place 50 nautical miles, or 57 miles, north of the Qatari city of Madinat ash Shamal. The agency did not release the name of the vessel or its flag state. As of Thursday, the status of the crew remained unconfirmed, and no group had claimed responsibility for the incident.

UKMTO reported that the extent of the physical damage and any resulting environmental impact are currently unknown. The center noted in a report last month that it was struggling to accurately count attacks because the majority of ships now refuse to report them. This development follows Tehran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carried 20% of the world's oil supply during peacetime, after the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran in February.

In a separate development, Iranian state television announced that two oil tankers and a towboat struck mines in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. The broadcast reported that the vessels caught fire but did not provide details on casualties or the ships' nationalities. The claim has not been independently verified. Citing the Revolutionary Guard, state media also said the unit seized two U.S. drones in the airspace over the strait. The Guard frequently makes similar statements regarding its targeting of vessels in the region.

South Korea’s military has moved to expand the operational area of its anti-piracy naval unit, the Cheonghae, which is currently deployed near Somalia. Defense Ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said Thursday that the conflict in the Middle East has led to increased pirate activity, prompting the proposal. The new operational zone would extend to waters south of Oman, reaching a point near the port of Duqm. That location is more than 650 kilometers, or 403 miles, from the Strait of Hormuz.

Chung emphasized that this expansion would not directly involve South Korea in the U.S. war with Iran. She stated that South Korea would not participate in military operations to ensure freedom of navigation near the strait unless specific allowable circumstances were met. Those conditions include an end to the war with Iran or an agreement to stop the fighting. The Cheonghae unit would receive additional equipment and personnel, including patrol aircraft and an explosive ordnance disposal team, under the proposed changes.

The expansion of the South Korean mission requires approval from President Lee Jae Myung and the country’s legislature. The military has not set a specific date for when the new operational boundaries might take effect. The Cheonghae unit continues its current mission near Somalia while awaiting a decision on the broader scope of operations.