Iranian aerial strikes near the Strait of Hormuz reportedly hit the VTTI oil terminal in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on 4 May, according to Bloomberg.

The facility is co-owned by IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, Vitol Group and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

The strikes were confirmed by the news agency through sources that wished to remain anonymous as they were not authorised to comment publicly.

According to Fujairah’s media office, the attack resulted in three people being hospitalised.

The office also reported in a separate post that a drone strike from Iran caused a large fire at an oil industrial zone in the city.

The escalation followed another Iranian strike on an ADNOC oil tanker off Oman's coast, alongside a reported explosion affecting a South Korean vessel in the strait.

ADNOC’s maritime energy logistics unit said that crude oil tanker the Barakah was empty when it was hit by two drones, and no injuries were reported, according to Reuters.

These incidents have contributed to a spike in oil prices.

Fujairah has increasingly become a crucial hub for crude and fuels, particularly as tensions escalate in the region.

Hours before this attack, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported Tehran's expanded control zone in the strait, which encompasses areas south of Fujairah, to manage shipping activity.

Amid these developments, US President Donald Trump announced plans to escort vessels through the Persian Gulf, with US Central Command confirming the passage of two US-flagged ships in the region on 4 May.

Since US and Israeli strikes began on 28 February, Iran has restricted most non-Iranian vessels from entering or leaving the Gulf.

Tehran has also warned that ships it deems unauthorised could be targeted while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint carrying roughly 20% of global oil and gas flows.

Earlier, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a tanker reported being struck by unidentified projectiles around 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah in the UAE. The vessel was later confirmed to be the Barakah.

Furthermore, Maersk told the BBC that one of its US-registered ships had cleared the strait under the protection of US forces, in an operation Trump has referred to as “Project Freedom”.

The company said the passage went smoothly, with no incidents, and that everyone on board was safe.