UAE: 4 merchant ships were subjected to sabotage operations off Fujairah

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that four commercial cargo ships from several nationalities were hit by what they described as subversive operations near the UAE's territorial waters, without specifying the nature of the operations or determining who is behind them.

The ministry said in a statement that the operations targeting the four ships were near the Emirate of Fujairah, near the territorial waters, and in the economic waters of the UAE.

She added that the investigation is underway on the circumstances of the accident in cooperation with local and international bodies, and that the parties concerned will raise the results when the completion of the procedures.

The UAE Foreign Ministry said that the operations did not cause any human damage or injuries, and did not result in any leakage of harmful substances or fuel from these vessels.

Earlier, the Information Office of the Government of Fujairah denied media reports that powerful explosions rocked the port of Fujairah today. Iran's Press TV reported seven oil tankers being attacked in the port of Fujairah.

These developments come in the context of intense tension in the Gulf between the United States and Iran, where Washington sent the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln" and other naval pieces and bombers from the aircraft "B52" and more Patriot batteries to the Gulf region, to respond to Iranian threats assumed to US interests in the region.

The Revolutionary Guard has threatened to target US warships in the event of an attack on Iran. The US military said it believed Iran had deployed short ballistic missiles that could be launched from small boats in the Gulf.

Earlier, the Yemeni Houthi group threatened to hit targets in the UAE in response to operations by the Saudi-UAE coalition forces in Yemen. The Huthis spoke months ago of targeting Abu Dhabi and Dubai airports with marching planes.

The port of Fujairah is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's largest ports of refueling, and the strait is a vital waterway to transit oil and gas shipments to world markets.