DOHA, Qatar, May 10 (ANI) — A commercial cargo vessel was targeted by a drone in Qatari territorial waters Sunday morning, the country’s Ministry of Defense confirmed.
The drone strike caused a “limited fire onboard the vessel,” which was arriving from Abu Dhabi. Officials said no injuries were reported in the incident.
According to a Defense Ministry statement, the blaze was quickly extinguished, allowing the ship to continue on its planned route.
“The vessel continued its journey toward Mesaieed Port after the fire was brought under control. The necessary measures were taken, and coordination was carried out with the relevant authorities,” the statement said.
The security incident occurred as high-level diplomatic discussions were underway. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff in Miami regarding mediation efforts for a potential US-Iran agreement, according to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, officials “discussed the latest developments in the region, as well as the Pakistani mediation aimed at reducing escalation that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the region,” the ministry said.
The Qatari leader also “expressed the need for all parties to respond to the ongoing mediation efforts, which would open the way for addressing the root causes of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, and lead to reaching a comprehensive agreement that achieves sustainable peace in the region.”
The discussions underscored Qatar’s continuing role as a key intermediary in regional diplomacy and efforts to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran.
Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, maritime tensions in the Gulf remain high. The British military also reported Sunday that a vessel caught fire after being struck by an “unknown projectile” off the Qatari coast.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center, the strike ignited a “small fire” aboard the bulk carrier, which was later extinguished.
The UKMTO said the incident occurred approximately 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha. No injuries or casualties were reported among the crew.
The attack marks the latest escalation involving maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf since the implementation of a fragile ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Regional tensions have intensified over the past week. On Friday, US forces targeted two Iranian oil tankers, with Washington alleging the vessels were attempting to evade the blockade on Iranian ports.
In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy warned that any interference with Iranian commercial ships or tankers would trigger a “heavy assault” against enemy vessels and US military installations in the region.
The geopolitical climate remains volatile as Donald Trump reiterated threats to resume “full-scale bombing” if Tehran refuses to negotiate an agreement dismantling its nuclear program and reopening the strategic waterway.
Since the conflict involving the United States and Israel began on Feb. 28, Iran has largely obstructed the critical shipping lane, contributing to a sharp spike in fuel prices and instability across global markets. (ANI)
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