Key facts
- Oil spill reported off UAE coast affecting Umm Al Quwain beaches.
- Tanker GEM NO.2 struck by projectile on October 9, 2026.
- Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint in the Iran war.
An oil spill has impacted beaches in Umm Al Quwain, United Arab Emirates, following a projectile attack on a tanker nearby. The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment confirmed the spill on Friday, October 23, 2026, and initiated containment and clean-up operations. The incident occurs amid a rise in attacks on commercial vessels in the waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil transit. The maritime security agency UKMTO reported on October 9, 2026, that the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker GEM NO.2 was struck by a projectile, causing a fire that was subsequently controlled. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for targeting tankers it deems to be using unauthorized routes through the strait.