ISTANBUL

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which monitors shipping security, said it received a report of an incident 36 nautical miles north of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

The vessel’s captain reported a splash accompanied by a loud bang, the UKMTO said on US social media company X on Tuesday.

The incident came amid regional escalation that flared up since Israel and the US launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,200 people, and injuring over 10,000 others.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries that are home to US military assets.