The United Arab Emirates said Sunday four merchant vessels had been targeted by "acts of sabotage" in Gulf waters off its coast, amid rising tensions between neighboring Iran and the US.
"Four commercial, civilian trading vessels of various nationalities this morning suffered acts of sabotage" off the UAE's eastern coast, its foreign ministry said in a statement, without naming who was responsible.
Earlier, Al-Mayadin TV station financed by Iran and run by Hezbollah had reported explosions in UAE port of Fujairah, but Radio Farda's correspondent in the Gulf reported that UAE foreign ministry has said in a statement the act of sabotage was on the high seas near the border of its territorial waters and international waters.
The United States announced the deployment of USS Abraham Lincoln and B-52 bombers to the region, with officials telling news outlets that Washington had reports of possible Iranian attacks.
Iran has not officially commented on the statement by UAE, but Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, the chairman of the Majles National Security and Foreign Policy Committee tweeted that "Explosions in Fujairah show security in the Persian Gulf is as fragile as glass."