Dubai: A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz experienced an engine room fire after being hit by an unknown projectile on Monday, a British maritime agency said, hours after it reported another ship turning back in the face of Iranian threats.
Iran has sought to assert control over the vital shipping route since the start of its war with the United States and Israel in late February.
It has repeatedly targeted vessels it accuses of transiting without authorisation, while the US is maintaining a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
"The Master of a tanker reports being struck by an unknown projectile, causing a fire in the engine room of which the crew are fighting," Britain's UKMTO said, adding there were no casualties or environmental impact reported so far.
Earlier on Monday it reported that "a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz inbound was hailed by the IRGC (Iran's Revolutionary Guards) and instructed to turn back or the vessel would be targeted".
"The master of the tanker has confirmed that they have complied with the instruction," UKMTO said.
The ship was entering the strait near the Omani coastline, the agency added.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transited before the war, remains a key sticking point in negotiations between Iran and the US on ending their conflict.
Though attacks in the strait have continued, the US has not launched strikes on Iran since September 1.
