Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Nov 8: A cargo ship caught fire in the Sea of Oman, with all 22 crew members rescued by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Coast Guard, the Emirates News Agency reported on Sunday.

The crew members, all of Arab nationality, were in stable condition after receiving first aid, the report said, citing the UAE National Guard.

The rescued crew members were subsequently handed over to the relevant authorities, it added.

The rescue operation was launched immediately after the UAE Coast Guard received a distress call from the vessel reporting a fire on board. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage to the ship were not disclosed.

Meanwhile, the Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early on Sunday that two “violating” oil tankers attempting to pass through an “unauthorised” route in the Strait of Hormuz had caught fire after striking naval mines.

In a statement carried by the IRGC's official news outlet, Sepah News, the Navy said one tanker struck mines east of the strait, while the other hit mines while crossing the waterway.

Both vessels had switched off their navigation and GPS systems and were burning following the explosions, the statement added.

The IRGC warned that any vessel cooperating with the “aggressive” US Army and entering the “unauthorised” area of the strait in violation of Iranian regulations would “definitely” hit naval mines, Xinhua news agency reported.

Separately, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on the social media platform X that its forces had disabled a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman after its civilian crew allegedly ignored repeated warnings and attempted to violate the naval blockade against Iran multiple times.

The developments come amid heightened maritime tensions in the region, with competing restrictions and warnings affecting vessel movements around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.