“The crew and vessel are safe, although the master reports some bunker fuel has discharged into the sea,” UK Maritime Trade Operations said.

The incident, in the Gulf of Oman about 60 nautical miles east of Muscat, was an “external explosion”, UKMTO added, without detailing the cause of the blast.

Iran has been laying mines in waters nearby as part of its campaign to block Hormuz, which normally carries one-fifth of global oil production.

Hours earlier, US forces launched overnight strikes on missile sites in Iran and on boats that they said were trying to lay mines in Gulf waters.