A bulk carrier caught fire on Sunday after being struck by an unknown projectile off the coast of Qatar, the British military has said. The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) reported a small fire on board the vessel, which was subsequently extinguished, with no casualties. The incident occurred 23 nautical miles (43 kilometres) northeast of Qatar’s capital, Doha. This attack marks the latest in a series of incidents targeting vessels in the Persian Gulf, following a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Just last Friday, the US struck two Iranian oil tankers, alleging they were attempting to breach its blockade of Iranian ports. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy reiterated its warning on Sunday, stating that any assault on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would be met with a “heavy assault” on US bases in the region or enemy ships.
But it is unclear whether this projectile was intended to prod the recipient to seek their attention or to deliver a different message.