ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Iraq’s oil ministry on Wednesday said a tanker chartered by the Iraqi state-owned shipping company was struck by an unidentified source in the country’s territorial waters, causing minor structural damage but no casualties, with authorities launching an investigation into the incident.

“A tanker, chartered by the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company and designated for storing fuel oil, sustained damage from an unknown source while within Iraqi territorial waters, resulting in minor structural damage to the vessel's hull,” the ministry announced in a statement.

It added that no casualties among the crew were sustained as a result of the incident, “nor did it result in any leakage of the cargo into the water.”

Relevant authorities are currently investigating the source of the incident and the extent of the damage, the oil ministry noted.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker was struck by “an unknown projectile” off Iraq’s Faw port in Basra province, adding that the crew are safe and no environmental impact has been reported.

The UKMTO reported two additional hostile incidents in the area on Wednesday.

Iraq’s transport ministry also reported that a Panama-flagged tanker sustained damage “from an unknown source,” adding that the vessel has been “isolated and placed under continuous monitoring,” while the surrounding area was inspected to ensure there were no fuel leaks.

The incident comes amid a series of attacks involving oil and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports following an escalation in military confrontations between Iran and the United States earlier in September.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Wednesday the new restricted area in the Strait of Hormuz extends from Iran’s easternmost Chahbahar port on the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, warning of penalties for vessels engaging in unauthorized transit.

Iran has shut the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil is transported, as part of its war against the US and Israel, contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices. The US has responded by imposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Control of the waterway has been a salient issue in the conflict, with Tehran having made clear their intention to end free transit and establish a tolling or fee-paying mechanism despite vehement US objections.