File Photo: Cargo ships and tankers are seen off coast city of Fujairah, in the Strait of Hormuz in the northern Emirate. AFP
"A drone struck the vessel ... linked to the Zionist regime in the Strait of Hormuz; the ship caught fire," the Guards naval forces posted on X.
Maritime tracking data indicated the vessel was the Liberia-flagged container ship MSC Ishyka.
In a related context, Iran's oil exports from the key island of Kharg have increased even as the war with the United States and Israel rages, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
"Following the visits carried out and meetings held on Kharg island, I must say that in recent days not only have oil exports not decreased, but they have increased," ISNA news agency quoted Moussa Ahmadi, the head of the Iranian parliament's energy commission, as saying.
Kharg Island, located off Iran's western coast, is a vital oil export terminal for the country.
US President Donald Trump has recently threatened to destroy the island if a deal to end the war is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz does not "immediately" reopen. On March 13, the US said it had bombed military targets on the island but refrained from hitting oil infrastructure there. Iranian officials have in recent days warned that the United States may be planning a ground attack, particularly targeting one of Iran's islands, and have repeatedly cautioned against such a move.
The warnings came as the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying around 3,500 Marines and sailors, arrived in the Middle East last week. For her part, an Indian-flagged tanker carrying LPG has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, India's government said on Saturday. New Delhi, the world's second-largest buyer of liquefied petroleum gas, has secured passage for several Indian-flagged vessels over the past three weeks.
Public broadcaster All India Radio said it was the "seventh India-bound LPG tanker" to cross the Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East war began. India's petroleum and natural gas ministry also said on Saturday, "Amid Middle East supply disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran," it said in a post on X, adding that there was "no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports".
That comes about two weeks after the US Treasury said it was temporarily lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded onto vessels. India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG needs and has been grappling with a gas crunch over the past month.
The Indian government has imposed tighter controls over natural and cooking gas following import disruptions, prioritising supply towards households and limiting the amount available for industrial use.
New Delhi maintains strong relations with Tehran but has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel in defence, agriculture, technology, and cybersecurity.
Iranian authorities have issued permits for vessels carrying basic goods and humanitarian aid to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Tasnim news agency reports.
The authorisation specifically applies to ships destined for Iranian ports or those located in the Sea of Oman, the report said.
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