The United Kingdom Navy reported that a commercial vessel off the coast of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, is believed to have been hijacked by unknown groups before being directed towards Iranian waters
According to a statement from UK Maritime Trade Operations, the vessel was taken about 38 nautical miles from its original location off the UAE coast. The identity of the vessel, however, has not yet been identified.
The incident occurred as the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz increased sharply this week, just days after Iran introduced new procedures for ships wishing to use the strategic route.
Tensions in the Middle East region have continued to rise since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. The situation has affected the movement of merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, in addition to increasing security risks to global trade routes.
Disruptions in the route also have a major impact on the world's energy flows as the Strait of Hormuz handles almost a fifth of global oil supplies.
Any security threat in the area has the potential to put pressure on oil prices and international commodity markets.
Last week, Iran also reportedly seized a tanker in the Gulf of Oman believed to be carrying sanctioned Iranian oil.
Iranian state media claimed the ship was trying to take advantage of the unstable regional situation, but did not provide further explanation for the incident.
