British military says bulk carrier near Qatar caught fire after being struck by projectile

A bulk carrier caught fire Sunday after being hit by an unknown projectile off the coast of Qatar, the British military said.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) reported that a small fire broke out on the ship and that the fire was extinguished without any loss of life. The incident occurred 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of Doha, the capital of Qatar.

This attack was the latest in a series of incidents targeting ships in the Persian Gulf following the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

Just last Friday, the United States shot down two Iranian oil tankers for allegedly trying to violate the blockade of Iranian ports.

In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy reiterated its warning on Sunday, saying any attack on Iranian oil tankers or merchant ships would be met with a “heavy attack” on US bases or enemy ships in the region.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reiterated his threat of large-scale bombings if Iran does not agree to reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz and end its nuclear program.

The region has seen rising tensions since the United States and Israel launched a conflict on February 28; This led to Iran largely shutting down the vital global energy waterway, causing a rise in fuel prices and market instability around the world.

Negotiations between the US and Iran currently hang in the balance; both countries continue to engage in hostilities.

Trump claimed he expected to hear from Iran “very soon” about a new ceasefire proposal.

Trump said he expects Washington to respond to Tehran’s offer to end the war.

“Supposedly I will receive a letter tonight,” the US president told reporters on Saturday. “Well, we’ll see how that goes.”

The war has continued for more than two months after it began in late February, and an agreement to end the war has yet to be reached.