The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO), which monitors shipping threats in the region, said the vessel sustained a small fire following the impact. The blaze was later extinguished and no casualties were reported.

The UKMTO did not identify the ship, disclose its ownership, or specify the nature of the projectile involved in the incident. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions across Gulf shipping lanes following weeks of military escalation involving Washington and Tehran.

Commercial maritime traffic in the region has faced increased security risks since the outbreak of clashes earlier this year, prompting naval deployments and intensified monitoring operations by Western and regional forces.

The Persian Gulf and surrounding waterways remain among the world’s most strategically sensitive maritime corridors, carrying a substantial share of global crude oil exports and liquefied natural gas shipments. Security incidents in the area are closely watched by energy markets and international shipping operators.

Earlier this month, the United States Central Command released images showing the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta enforcing a maritime blockade against an Iran-flagged crude oil tanker identified as the Herby, which Washington said was attempting to reach an Iranian port.

The latest incident off Qatar underscores continuing instability in Gulf waters despite efforts to maintain the ceasefire and reduce the risk of broader regional confrontation.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he expected Tehran to respond “supposedly tonight” to a proposal delivered through Pakistani mediators, but no official Iranian reply had been made public by Saturday evening.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi questioned Washington’s intentions during a phone call with his Turkish counterpart, according to remarks published by Iran’s ISNA news agency.

“The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Arabian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy,” Araghchi said.The comments followed a confrontation on Friday in which a U.S. fighter jet fired on and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers that Washington said had challenged an American naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.

An Iranian military official, quoted by local media, said Iran’s navy had retaliated against what he described as “American terrorism with strikes,” adding that the clashes had since ended.The incident came less than a day after another flare-up in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes for global oil exports.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Friday that it was “unacceptable” for Tehran to exert control over the waterway, through which a substantial share of global crude shipments passes.The Trump administration has sought to reopen commercial navigation through the strait after Iran restricted maritime access following the outbreak of conflict on Feb. 28, triggered by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.

Washington later imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, escalating tensions across Gulf shipping lanes and contributing to volatility in international energy markets.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Friday the latest U.S. proposal remained “under review.”

Meanwhile, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Friday to discuss Pakistani-mediated efforts to secure a longer-term settlement.Separately, satellite imagery indicated an oil slick spreading near Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export hub in the Gulf.

Monitoring group Orbital EOS estimated the slick initially covered more than 20 square miles before appearing to diminish by Saturday.The UK-based Conflict and Environment Observatory said the spill may have originated from damaged or leaking oil infrastructure, though the exact cause remained unclear.

Kharg Island plays a central role in Iran’s energy exports and has become increasingly sensitive amid the ongoing confrontation over Gulf shipping routes and oil flows.

Speaking at U.N. headquarters alongside diplomats from Gulf states and the United States, Alwasil urged support for a draft Security Council resolution demanding Iran halt attacks and remove obstacles affecting maritime traffic through the strait.“The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital artery of global trade and any disruption to its security is a matter of serious international concern,” Alwasil said.

He said the proposed resolution sought immediate international measures to “de-escalate tensions, ensure the free and safe flow of trade and humanitarian assistance, restore stability to global markets, and protect affected populations.”Alwasil warned that disruptions to shipping routes were affecting energy markets and delaying deliveries of food, medical supplies and humanitarian goods, particularly for import-dependent countries.

The Saudi envoy appeared alongside representatives from Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, as well as Mike Waltz, who said freedom of navigation was central to global economic stability.

“We believe in some basic fundamental principles, namely the freedom of navigation for the entire world’s economies,” Waltz told reporters. “That’s what’s at stake here, nothing less than a cornerstone of worldwide stability and commerce.”Diplomatic sources said Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council and a close Iranian ally, warned it was prepared to veto the resolution.

Moscow and Beijing previously abstained on a March resolution condemning Iranian attacks on Gulf states and criticizing restrictions on shipping through Hormuz.

According to diplomats, the latest U.S.-Bahrain draft resolution calls on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, disclose the locations of naval mines, refrain from imposing transit tolls and allow the establishment of humanitarian shipping corridors for fertilizer and other essential cargo.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments and around one-third of global fertilizer trade, making it one of the world’s most strategically significant maritime chokepoints.

Commercial shipping traffic through the waterway has been heavily disrupted since conflict erupted on Feb. 28 following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Regional instability has since fueled concerns over energy supplies, commodity prices and global food security.

In early April, Russia and China vetoed another Security Council proposal that would have encouraged coordinated international efforts to secure maritime navigation through the strait.

The Afghans, housed at Camp As Sayliyah on the outskirts of Doha, say returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan would expose them to reprisals because of their past work with U.S. and allied forces, while resettlement options remain limited after President Donald Trump’s administration suspended Afghan immigration cases and paused refugee admissions.

“We are all living in extreme anxiety. We feel that we are in limbo,” said Rasouly, a former interpreter for U.S. forces who has spent 19 months at the camp with his family.Camp As Sayliyah, once used by the U.S. military, has served as a transit and processing center for Afghan evacuees since the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in August 2021.

Many of those still there had expected eventual resettlement in the United States under refugee or special immigration pathways.That process stalled after Trump paused refugee admissions in January 2025 and later suspended Afghan immigration cases in November, leaving hundreds of families in prolonged legal and humanitarian uncertainty.

Advocacy group AfghanEvac said the U.S. administration is considering requiring residents to choose between returning to Afghanistan or relocating to countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, a proposal first reported by U.S. media and later confirmed by campaigners as under review.In an open letter shared by AfghanEvac, camp residents rejected the possibility of relocation to Congo, citing both security concerns and trauma from years of conflict.

“We have been in enough war. We cannot take our children into another one,” the letter said. “We also cannot return to Afghanistan. The Taliban will kill many of us for what we did for the United States.”The U.S. State Department has not confirmed Congo as a destination but said relocation to a third country could provide safety and an opportunity to rebuild lives. Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have not commented publicly on the reports.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, responding to the reports, said Afghan nationals abroad could return in “confidence and peace of mind,” rejecting concerns over retaliation.However, the United Nations has documented arbitrary arrests, detentions and cases of torture involving former Afghan officials and security personnel who returned to Afghanistan, raising concerns among rights groups over the safety of returnees.

Residents at the camp said they have received little formal communication and rely largely on rumors about resettlement plans or possible camp closure.“Different rumors have circulated,” said Mahmoud, 38, who worked with U.S. and international forces and has lived at the camp for more than a year. “Rumours such as sending people to the Democratic Republic of the Congo are being spread to increase psychological pressure.

”Many families live in cramped, windowless containers and are generally unable to leave except for serious medical emergencies, residents said.The insecurity deepened during Iranian missile attacks targeting U.S. bases in the Gulf earlier this year, when explosions and interceptions were visible from the camp despite the base no longer being operational.

“It reminded us of Afghanistan,” said Shabnam, who arrived at the camp in January 2025 with her young son after her father’s work with U.S. and allied forces in western Afghanistan. “Many of us came here to escape conflict. It felt like we were reliving those same fears.”The State Department confirmed in February that Washington had offered financial assistance for voluntary return to Afghanistan.

AfghanEvac and camp residents said the package included $4,500 for each main applicant and $1,200 per dependent.Around 150 people have accepted the payments and returned, according to U.S. officials.For others, the offer does little to ease fears.“Security is not something that can be negotiated,” Rasouly said. “If they pay me $50,000 for me and my family, I cannot go to Afghanistan because my life is in danger.”

The statement came after reports that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was discussing the possible relocation of around 1,100 Afghans, including former U.S. war helpers and relatives of American service members, to the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of efforts to resolve their prolonged displacement.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said Afghanistan remained the “shared homeland of all Afghans” and invited those concerned to return with “full confidence and peace of mind,” rejecting concerns that they faced security threats under Taliban rule.

He said those wishing to migrate to other countries could do so later through “legal and dignified channels” and added that Kabul was ready to engage with all countries on the matter.

The remarks followed disclosures by advocacy group #AfghanEvac, which supports Afghan resettlement efforts, that U.S. officials had informed the group of talks between Washington and Congo regarding refugees housed at Camp As-Sayliyah, a U.S. base in Doha, where many have remained in limbo for more than a year.

The U.S. State Department said it was working to identify options for “voluntary” resettlement in a third country, but did not confirm which countries were under discussion.

For many of the Afghans at the camp, returning to Afghanistan is not considered safe. Many had worked directly with U.S. military forces, diplomatic missions, or affiliated programs during the war and fear retaliation from the Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.

In a joint statement shared by #AfghanEvac, refugees at the camp said they had not been formally informed by U.S. officials about the possible transfer to Congo and learned of the discussions through media reports.

They said the prolonged uncertainty had severely affected their mental health.“Many of us are not well. The uncertainty has been more than some of us can carry. There is deep depression,” the group said, describing worsening psychological distress among families who have spent months waiting for relocation.

The refugees also firmly rejected the idea of being moved to Congo, citing ongoing violence there.“We do not want to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the statement said. “It is a country in its own war. We have been in enough war.

We cannot take our children into another one.”The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced decades of instability, particularly in its eastern region, where fighting between government forces and Rwanda-backed rebel groups has intensified.

Camp residents also said returning to Afghanistan was not an option.“The Taliban will kill many of us for what we did for the United States,” the statement said. “This is not a fear. This is a fact.”The relocation discussions come more than a year after President Trump suspended his predecessor’s Afghan refugee resettlement program as part of broader immigration restrictions, leaving thousands of vetted Afghan applicants stranded in transit hubs across the world, including Qatar.

Many had already completed years of security screening and documentation for U.S. resettlement before the process was halted.

The uncertainty over their future continues to underscore the unresolved humanitarian fallout of America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the fate of those who supported its mission there.

In an interview with CNN, Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine has so far experienced no disruption in the delivery of such systems or related intelligence support, but cautioned that an extended Middle East conflict could place existing supply arrangements under pressure.

He noted that Ukraine has secured portions of its U.S. weaponry through a program under which NATO countries finance purchases for Kyiv, enabling access to critical systems including anti-ballistic missiles for Patriot platforms.

“Through this program, we can include and buy anti-ballistic missiles for Patriot systems and some other weapons which is very important for us,” Zelenskiy said, adding that similar mechanisms were not available through European partners.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized that U.S. supply volumes remain limited due to constrained production capacity, acknowledging that Washington has provided only a relatively small number of such systems.“We understand why, because the production in the United States is not so big,” he said, warning that delays in de-escalation or ceasefire efforts in the Middle East could exacerbate supply risks.

Zelenskiy also highlighted Ukraine’s growing role in sharing military expertise abroad, particularly in countering drone threats. He said Kyiv had signed agreements with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to provide training and technical know-how developed during its conflict with Russia, where Iranian-designed drones have been widely deployed.

He added that Ukraine intends to expand such cooperation with other countries, focusing initially on knowledge transfer and training missions.

Zelensky has conducted a series of high-level visits to Gulf and regional states, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and Syria, positioning Kyiv as a provider of security expertise in a region where influence has often tilted toward Russia.

Analysts say Ukraine’s battlefield experience, particularly in countering Iranian-designed drones used by Russian forces, has enabled it to offer specialized anti-drone capabilities abroad.

Ukrainian officials said more than 200 experts were deployed to multiple countries in response to escalating drone activity during the regional conflict.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said Moscow was reacting negatively to Kyiv’s expanding ties in the Gulf, accusing Russia and Iran of spreading disinformation aimed at undermining Ukraine’s role in the region.

The diplomatic push marks a shift from 2022, when Kyiv relied heavily on Western partners for military assistance following Russia’s invasion. The proliferation of drone warfare has since allowed Ukraine to develop niche capabilities that are now in demand internationally.

While details of the security agreements remain undisclosed, analysts say Ukraine may seek financial backing from Gulf states to scale its defense technologies. Some observers suggest Kyiv could leverage these partnerships to secure investment and sustain its military innovation sector.

However, analysts caution that the outreach has yet to produce a strategic breakthrough. Many Middle Eastern states have maintained balanced relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, avoiding sanctions on Russia while positioning themselves as mediators in the conflict.

The durability of Ukraine’s expanded role may also depend on the trajectory of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and continued demand for its defense capabilities in the region.

The legislation, approved earlier this week, allows for capital punishment to be applied as a default sentence for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis, according to official statements and media reports.

MWL Secretary-General Mohammed Al-Issa said the measure reflects continued disregard for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people, citing concerns over what he described as repression, racial discrimination and inhumane treatment of detainees.

Under the legal framework, Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to military courts, while Israeli citizens, including Palestinian citizens of Israel, are tried in civilian courts. Critics say the structure effectively results in unequal application of the death penalty.

The MWL expressed support for similar positions taken by foreign ministers from several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The law has added to international scrutiny of Israel’s legal and security policies in the occupied territories, particularly regarding the treatment of Palestinians within differing judicial systems.

The bottleneck includes 12 very large gas carriers and 50 very large crude carriers, with only six ships transiting the strait between Tuesday and Wednesday, far below the typical daily average of around 120 vessels in peacetime, data from maritime analytics firm Kpler showed.

Limited movement has been permitted through a tightly controlled corridor near Iran’s Larak Island, with access largely restricted to vessels linked to Iran or countries maintaining favorable relations with Tehran. Lloyd’s List estimates that at least 48 ships have passed through the route since last week under such arrangements.

Iran imposed the blockade following strikes by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28, effectively constraining a waterway that normally handles about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments. Shipowners granted passage have reportedly faced fees of up to $2 million per transit, although Tehran has indicated that vessels from allied nations may be exempt.

Malaysian authorities said tankers operated by companies including Petronas, Sapura Energy and MISC were awaiting clearance, with Iran assuring Kuala Lumpur that fees would be waived due to bilateral ties. Officials cautioned that heavy congestion could delay passage regardless of exemptions.

China said at least three of its vessels had recently transited the strait following coordination with relevant parties. Ship-tracking data indicated that two container ships exited the Gulf on a subsequent attempt while sailing in close formation and at increased speed, in what analysts described as the first such movement by non-Iranian container vessels since the escalation began.

A small number of other ships have also managed to leave, including a Greek-operated tanker carrying Saudi crude to India and several Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas carriers transporting essential cargo.

Shipping sources said some crews have adopted risk mitigation measures such as nighttime navigation or disabling tracking systems to reduce exposure to threats including mines, missiles and drones.Despite limited transits, exports from major Gulf producers such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar remain largely suspended, with hundreds of vessels and an estimated 20,000 seafarers still awaiting clearance in and around the Gulf.

A Pakistani oil vessel reached Karachi after successfully transiting the strait, while another shipment arrived via an alternative route. Officials said further deliveries could follow in the coming weeks.The disruption has intensified diplomatic efforts to reopen the waterway.

Britain is preparing to host talks involving around 35 countries to address maritime security, while China and Pakistan have jointly called for a ceasefire and urged all sides to ensure safe passage for commercial shipping.U.S.

President Donald Trump reiterated on Wednesday that Iran must lift the blockade, warning of potential military action if it fails to comply.

Speaking to reporters, Zelensky said the messages followed a sharp escalation in global energy prices linked to widening conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted supplies of oil, gas and refined products. He said Kyiv remained open to an Easter ceasefire under reciprocal conditions.

Signals tied to energy market pressuresA source familiar with the matter said U.S. officials had conveyed the concerns during routine contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, adding that the initial signals appeared to have originated from Moscow.

The US State Department and Russia’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian oil facilities in recent months as part of its broader strategy to undermine revenues supporting Moscow’s military campaign.

The reported outreach from allies reflects concern that such attacks could further tighten global supply at a time of already elevated prices.Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left the country facing acute shortages, forcing authorities to secure alternative supplies.

Zelensky said Kyiv had reached agreements with several Middle Eastern countries to bolster energy support following a recent regional visit.He said Ukraine had secured a deal for year-long diesel deliveries, critical for both military operations and the agricultural sector, though he did not disclose volumes or suppliers.

Ukraine also signed framework cooperation agreements with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and indicated another agreement was being prepared with the United Arab Emirates.

Zelensky said he had also discussed air defense needs with regional leaders, but noted that partners were currently prioritizing deployments to the Middle East due to ongoing hostilities involving Iran.

He added that Ukraine risked being sidelined in the allocation of advanced anti-ballistic missile systems as international focus shifts toward the escalating regional conflict.