Star Metro - Drones target Gulf vessels as Tehran warns US

The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of being behind an attack that targeted its territory, in what would be, if confirmed, only the second alleged strike on Gulf countries since the start of a month-old ceasefire.

Tehran's military chief Ali Abdollahi met the country's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei and, according to Iranian state television, received "new directives and guidance for the continuation of operations to confront the enemy".

This came as South Korea reported unidentified aircraft had hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last week, and Qatar's defence ministry said a freighter arriving in the country's waters from Abu Dhabi was hit by a drone on Sunday northeast of the port of Mesaieed.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said the bulk carrier reported being struck by an unknown projectile. "There was a small fire that has been extinguished, there are no casualties. There is no reported environmental impact," it said.

- 'Restraint over' -

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Iran's Fars news agency reported that "the bulk carrier that was struck near the coast of Qatar was sailing under a US flag and belonged to the United States".

And, in a social media post, the spokesman for the Iranian parliament's national security commission warned the United States: "Our restraint is over as of today."

"Any attack on our vessels will trigger a strong and decisive Iranian response against American ships and bases," Ebrahim Rezaei said.

This came after Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to target US interests in the Middle East if its tankers come under fire -- as they had been the case on Friday when a US fighter jet fired on and disabled two Iran-flagged vessels in the Gulf of Oman.

"Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships," the IRGC said.

- Drone strikes -

The United Arab Emirates's said that its territory had also come under attack, and called out Iran by name. "UAE air defence systems successfully engaged two UAVs launched from Iran," the defence ministry said, in a social media post.

Iran's neighbour Kuwait also reported an attempted attack.

"At dawn today, the armed forces detected a number of hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace, which were dealt with in accordance with established procedures," the military posted.

In Seoul, defence ministry spokesman Park Il told reporters a cargo vessel had been hit on Monday and was damaged by fire before making its way to port in Dubai.

"On May 4, two unidentified aircraft struck the outer plate of the port-side ballast tank at the stern of the HMM Namu at roughly one-minute intervals, causing flames and smoke," he said.

Iran has choked off the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital route out of the Gulf for oil, gas and fertiliser, seeking to wield economic leverage over the United States and its allies.

The US Navy, meanwhile, is blockading and sometimes disabling or diverting ships heading to and from Iran's ports.

- 'Escalation of tensions' -

Tension is rising as Washington waits for Tehran to respond to its latest offer of a deal to extend a truce to allow the foes to enter peace negotiations.

US President Donald Trump had said he was expecting Pakistani mediators to receive Iran's answer on Friday, but none has been made public.

"The recent escalation of tensions by American forces in the Persian Gulf and their numerous actions in violating the ceasefire have added to suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in the path of diplomacy," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, according to Iran's ISNA news agency.

Iran has set up a payment mechanism to extract tolls from shipping crossing the strait, but US officials have stressed it would be "unacceptable" for Tehran to control what had been an international waterway and the route of a fifth of the world's oil exports.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Saturday with the leader of Qatar, a key intermediary. Qatar's Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met the previous day with US Vice President JD Vance to discuss efforts to broker a permanent peace.

Iran has attacked sites in Qatar during the war, pointing to the wealthy emirate's role as host of a major US air base.

burs/dc/dcp

A.Bergeron--SMC