Ship reported on fire off Oman as Iran escalation fears mount

 A ship on fire has been reported in the Strait of Hormuz, British maritime agency UKMTO said on Thursday.

The agency, which is run by the British Royal Navy, did not give details on the cause of the blaze or any casualties.

Iran has, however, recently stepped up its attacks on ships that it sees as using the waterway without proper authorization.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Thursday that three tankers had exploded and caught fire in the past 24 hours after hitting sea mines while using an "unauthorized" route, but it is not known if the case reported to the UKMTO is one of them.

This comes as Iran has reported shooting down another US drone east of the waterway as fears grow of a new escalation in the US-Iran war. 

Iran steps up attacks in Strait of Hormuz

The UKMTO said the captain of another ship had reported the blaze onboard a vessel spotted 9 nautical miles (17 kilometers) north of the town of Khasab in Oman, which is located just off the strait.

The status of ⁠the ​crew is ​unknown, and so far ​no information has emerged  pertaining to ⁠damage or environmental ⁠impact.

Since the Middle East war was triggered in February by US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Tehran has sought to control the strait, a key transit point for global oil and natural gas supplies, and has attacked ships it considers to be unauthorized users of the waterway.

Oil exports through the waterway fell again last week, according to shipping data provider Kpler.

Attacks on ships in the strait are at the highest level since the war began, according to US-based think tank Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The US Navy, which is enforcing its own blockade of Iranian vessels, has recently escorted tankers through the strait in the area where the burning ship was reportedly sighted.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital chokepoint for oil and gas transportImage: REUTERS US drone downed

The reported ship fire comes as Iran says its forces have downed a drone near the strait, with the Tasnim news agency citing the IRGC as saying a new, advanced air defense system was used.

The report said that Iran's armed forces have destroyed 14 drones of this type and more than 50 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the war broke out.

The claims have not been independently verified, though the US Congressional Research Service says dozens of US aircraft and drones have been reported lost or damaged since the war began.

The MQ-1 Predator can be used both for surveillance and attackImage: Col. Leslie Pratt/epa/picture alliance Fears of new US strikes

The latest incidents come as US President Donald Trump is widely seen to be considering fresh strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections on November 3.

Last week, Trump said, "we may do another little Epic Fury," referring to the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran in February that triggered the war. He did not, however, give any timeframe.

A third US aircraft carrier and thousands of additional troops are currently heading to the region.

As reports of a possible renewed escalation swirl, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly nonetheless fired the Pentagon's top military planner, Army Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia.

If confirmed, the ouster would be the latest in a series of such high-level departures under the Trump administration, with Sylvia's predecessor, Lieutenant General  Joseph McGee being forced to retire last October.

According to a report in The Atlantic, no reason was given for Sylvia's departure and no replacement has been named.

Iran conflict: Could a new phase of the war be imminent?

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Edited by: Wesley Rahn