A commercial ship is viewed anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, in the Strait of Hormuz, Dubai.

• A container ship was hit by an unidentified projectile.
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have said they had “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz.
• At least 10 oil tankers in or near the strait were struck.

A container ship was hit off the coast of the United Arab Emirates by an unidentified projectile, a British maritime security agency reported on Wednesday, as Iran retaliates across the Gulf in response to US-Israeli strikes.

“The Master of a container vessel has reported that the vessel has sustained damage from a suspected but unknown projectile,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said, adding the extent of the damage was unknown, but all crew members were safe.

The incident took place 25 nautical miles (46km) northwest of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the agency said.

It called on vessels to transit the region “with caution” while authorities investigate the incident.

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have said they had “complete control” of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint into the Gulf and one of the world’s most vital shipping routes for energy.

READ | Saudi Arabia intercepts Iran drones targeting oil field, US hits mine-laying ships

The crucial waterway - less than 48km across at its narrowest point - is shared by Iran on one side and Oman on the other.

At least 10 oil tankers in or near the strait were struck, targeted, or reported attacks between 1 and 10 March, according to data compiled by the UK Maritime Trade Organisation, the International Maritime Organisation, and Iranian authorities.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Tuesday of unprecedented military consequences if it mines the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran vowed that no Gulf oil would pass through the key waterway.

The White House said earlier on Tuesday that the United States has not escorted any oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, after the energy secretary’s social media account posted but then deleted a claim that it did so.

Reuters reported that the top US general said earlier on ‌Tuesday that ⁠the US military has started looking at ways to potentially escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, should it be ordered to do so.

“We’re looking at a range of options there,” General Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon.

However, the US Navy has so far refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the strait, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The US military said it had destroyed 16 mine-laying Iranian boats near the Strait of Hormuz, according to AFP.