Navy aware of new 'reported attack' on oil tankers in Gulf of Oman

The Navy said Thursday it was aware of a "reported attack" on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Officials received two separate distress calls between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time (11 p.m. Wednesday and midnight ET), according to a statement from the 5th Fleet.

U.S. ships "are in the area and are rendering assistance," the statement said.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, also put out an alert about an unspecified incident in the Gulf of Oman, adding that it was investigating.

The stretch of water separates Oman and the United Arab Emirates with Iran. Tensions have risen between Tehran and Washington in recent months.

The coordinates offered for the incident by the U.K. group put it some 25 miles off the Iranian coastline.

Last month, four oil tankers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Norway were damaged in the same area. All three countries said it was the work of a "state actor."

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. blamed Iran, an allegation it denied.