PORTS in Dubai, Oman and Bahrain have suspended operations amid a flurry of aerial attacks in the region that has caused at least one fire inside Dubai’s Jebel Ali facility and hit two ships off Oman.

The dramatically scaled-back port operations come as at least three ships have been hit amid multiple missile strikes in the region.

One crew member was killed on Sunday when the Marshall Islands-flagged crude tanker MKD Vyom (IMO: 9284386) was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman. The laden tanker suffered an explosion and subsequent fire after being struck by a projectile.

A sanctioned tanker, Skylight (IMO: 9330020), was hit by a missile approximately five nautical miles north of Khasab port, within Omani territorial waters on Sunday.

The vessel, which had been flagged by Palau but is understood to be stateless, had been anchored since 22 February and was not transiting the Strait of Hormuz at the time of the incident.

Four crew members sustained injuries of varying severity and were evacuated for medical treatment by the Omani authorities. There were 20 crew on board at the time of the strike which has left the tanker on fire.

The fact that the vessel was anchored and not engaged in transit significantly reduces the likelihood that this event forms part of a broader attempt to disrupt commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

“However, given the recent regional tensions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, the location (Musandam Peninsula — directly overlooking the Strait of Hormuz) is strategically sensitive. Any security incident in this area inevitably raises concern within the maritime community due to its proximity to one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints,” noted the maritime security firm Marisks in a report circulated to clients on Sunday.

A third oil-bunkering tanker was damaged off the UAE coast, two shipping sources said. However, the tanker could not be independently verified by Lloyd’s List.

Ports across the region, meanwhile, have suspended operations as missiles flew overhead on Sunday.

The Dubai Media Office on Saturday said that a fire at one of the berths of the Jebel Ali port occurred after it was hit by debris from an “aerial interception”.

Smoke emanating from inside the port was still visible by Sunday afternoon.

Video taken from a vessel that was anchored just off the UAE coast on Saturday shows a rocket landing around 200 metres away from the vessel.

While port operations across the Middle East remain mixed, with several facilities continuing to operate normally and with no official increase in security threat levels, there have been several suspensions and partial closures over the past 24 hours.

Jebel Ali port is suspended, with all operations currently halted. While other major UAE facilities, including Sharjah and Khor Fakkan remain operational, Ruwais port is now operating at ISPS Level 2, indicating a specific threat.

In Bahrain, all ports are temporarily suspended, including pilotage services.

Security levels have been increased in Kuwait, however as of Sunday morning all ports remained open.

In Qatar, Ras Laffan and Mesaieed ports remain open, albeit with reduced traffic, and reports of GPS signal interference. The government has closed airspace over Qatar.

In Oman, the port of Duqm and Asyad Dry Dock at Duqm have suspended operations.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that some facilities were being evacuated.

Speaking on the BBC on Sunday, the UK defence secretary John Healy said that some British military personnel at a base in Bahrain had been “within several hundred yards” of a retaliatory missile and drone strike on Saturday, while two missiles had been fired in the direction of Cyprus.

Cyprus Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas, however, has refuted the claim that Cyprus was targeted by missiles, stating via social media that “there is no indication that there was a threat to the country”.