Brussels: Europe and the Arabs - and agencies
 Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping said on Wednesday it was investigating an incident involving its Pacific Zircon tanker, which was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman.
The company added that the ship was carrying gas oil, and that minor damage was reported to the ship's hull, with no cargo leakage or injuries among the crew.
An Associated Press reporter said on Twitter on Wednesday, citing a defense official, that an oil tanker was hit in a drone strike off the coast of Oman.
US Fifth Fleet spokesman Timothy Hawkins told Reuters that the fleet is aware of an incident involving a merchant ship on Wednesday in the Gulf of Oman.
And the Associated Press reported earlier, quoting a defense official, that an oil tanker flying the Liberian flag was attacked by a drone bombing off the Gulf of Oman.
The tanker is operated by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping, a company that the Associated Press says is ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.
Contacted by Reuters, Oman's Maritime Security Center said it had no information at this time.
According to the Marine Traffic website, which tracks shipping, the Pacific Zircon tanker was last seen off the coast of Liwa, Sultanate of Oman, on Monday morning. It left the Omani port of Sohar on Monday afternoon and was destined for the port of Buenos Aires in Argentina.