Abu Dhabi, March 22 -- A commercial vessel has reported an explosion in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz following an attack by what has been described by British maritime authorities as an "unknown projectile" off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning noting that the incident took place approximately 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah. The agency confirmed that the report involved a bulk carrier travelling through the critical shipping lanes of the Gulf.

According to the maritime advisory, the vessel's leadership confirmed the blast occurred in the immediate vicinity of the ship. "UKMTO has received a report of an incident 15NM north of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The Ma...