US and UAE report attacks as tensions rise around Strait of Hormuz

US forces have said they sank six small Iranian boats while escorting merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone attacks on its territory.

The incidents mark a sharp escalation in a confrontation that has centred on the strategic waterway.

The US military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday as part of a new initiative to reopen the passage.

The UAE defence ministry said its air defences engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran.

Authorities in Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility and wounded three Indian nationals.

The British military also reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, while Oman said two people were injured in Bukha near the coastline of the strait.

The reported attacks matter because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy supplies.

Any sustained disruption there could affect shipping, insurance costs and oil prices well beyond the region.

The UAE said the strikes were the first it had faced from Iran since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April.

Its foreign ministry described the attacks as a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression.

Iran did not directly confirm the attacks.

Iranian state television quoted an unnamed military official as saying there had been no plan to target the UAE or one of its oil fields.

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