A bulk carrier has caught fire off the Qatari coast amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.

The British military’s UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) reported the bulk carrier caught fire on Sunday after being struck by an unknown projectile.

The UKMTO added that a small fire on board the vessel was subsequently extinguished, and there were no casualties in the incident.

The incident occurred 23 nautical miles northeast of Qatar’s capital, Doha.

This fire marks the latest in a series of incidents on vessels in the Persian Gulf.

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has warned the United States and its allies that any strike on Iranian tankers or commercial vessels will be met with a heavy and decisive response.

On Saturday, the IRGC Navy Command reiterated Iran’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime interests and the safe passage of its legitimate commercial fleet amid escalating provocations by foreign forces in the strategic waters of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian naval forces exercise complete and intelligent control over this vital waterway, with the IRGC Navy protecting Iranian vessels while safeguarding the security of the Persian Gulf. It remains on high alert and fully prepared, ready to respond at a moment’s notice to protect Iran’s interests and the security of the Persian Gulf.

The United States and Israel launched an unprovoked war on Iran on February 28, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and high-ranking Iranian military and security officials.

Press TV’s website