A sailor has died after a suspected missile struck a tanker in the Arabian Gulf, the vessel's Greek operator confirmed on Friday, even as the United States weighs whether to widen its military campaign against Iran.

What happened aboard the Velos Sapphire

The Marshall Islands-flagged MT Velos Sapphire, an oil products tanker, was sailing without cargo towards Bahrain on Thursday when an explosion tore through the ship. Velos Tankers said the crew member was first reported missing and was later found fatally injured on board.

The rest of the crew were unhurt and managed to put out the fire that followed the blast. The operator reported no pollution. The vessel has since been taken to Bahrain's Khalifa Bin Salman Port, where an investigation is expected and the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

The cause of the explosion has not been formally established, and no party has been identified as responsible. A missile is the suspected cause, but investigators have yet to publish any findings.

A separate strike north of Qatar

On the same day, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that a tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles roughly 50 nautical miles north of Qatar. Public reports did not make clear whether the two incidents involve the same vessel, and officials have not linked them.

Attacks around Hormuz keep climbing

The sailor's death adds to a worrying run of incidents in and around one of the world's busiest energy corridors. A maritime security advisory distributed by UKMTO on 5 November, drawing on the Joint Maritime Information Centre, recorded four attacks around the Strait of Hormuz over a 96-hour window. That compares with three in the previous reporting period.

All four took place within about 52 hours, between 1 and 3 November, off the coast of Oman's Musandam peninsula.

On Friday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two more tankers caught fire after striking naval mines while trying to cross the strait by unauthorised routes. According to the Guards, one incident occurred east of the strait and the other inside it. Neither claim has been independently verified, and it is unclear whether some Iranian statements refer to vessels already mentioned in earlier reports. Independently reported incidents and Iranian claims should be read separately until confirmed.

Washington weighs its options

US officials, cited by Fox News and Axios, say the administration is considering three paths: renewed military strikes, continued economic pressure, or a negotiated agreement.

After meetings with his national security team, President Donald Trump said a decision would come soon on whether to expand operations. He indicated that further action might be needed to stop Iran from rebuilding its nuclear programme. No decision to launch another major operation has been announced.

Tehran has answered with a warning of its own. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said any renewed American attack would trigger retaliation against US military assets beyond the Middle East. Iran also maintains that the Strait of Hormuz will not fully reopen unless Washington meets its conditions.

The deliberations come just days after the 3 November US midterm elections, which added domestic political pressure to an already difficult foreign-policy decision.

Why it matters for the UAE

For a country whose economy relies heavily on trade, aviation and energy, the safety of Gulf shipping lanes is never a distant concern. Each attack draws close attention from shipping operators, insurers and traders. Business reports on Friday linked a rise in oil prices to the tanker attacks.

For residents, the more immediate effects are practical. Flight schedules on some regional routes remain disrupted, and travellers are being advised to confirm their status directly with airlines before heading to the airport.

Diplomacy is also moving in parallel. The UAE, Qatar, Oman and other regional states have been in contact with the parties in an effort to prevent further escalation, although no public agreement to end the conflict has emerged.

What to watch next

Three developments will shape the coming days: whether investigators identify the source of the Velos Sapphire explosion, whether Washington announces a decision on further strikes, and whether regional mediation produces any movement on safe passage through Hormuz.

Until then, the picture on the water remains fluid. Verified information is limited, claims from the parties are hard to confirm, and the human cost, as the loss of a seafarer on Thursday shows, is already real.