Image for representation purposes only An oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, damaging its bridge but leaving all crew members safe. The incident came hours after Washington and Tehran launched attacks against each other in the biggest escalation since they reached an interim peace agreement earlier this month. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the tanker reported being struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the strait. The vessel suffered damage to its bridge, but no injuries or pollution were reported. UKMTO advised ships in the area to remain cautious and report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident. Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech identified the vessel as the Panama-flagged tanker KIKU. According to Kpler data, it was a fully loaded supertanker carrying oil loaded in Qatar. The attack is the second reported strike on a merchant ship this week. On Thursday, the container ship Ever Lovely was hit in an incident that prompted the United States to carry out strikes on Iranian targets, saying it was responding to an attack on commercial shipping. Iran later said it had retaliated by targeting assets linked to US forces. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday they had attacked American positions in the Gulf following overnight US strikes. Iran has not directly commented on reports of attacks on commercial vessels. However, Iranian state television said the Revolutionary Guards fired “warning shots” at vessels attempting to use shipping channels not approved by Iran. It added that some ships were now seeking Iranian permission before entering the strait. Following the latest incidents, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), which shares information between naval forces and merchant ships, raised its regional threat level to Substantial. JMIC also said the Omani shipping route had been expanded to allow two-way