Dubai: The United Arab Emirates has reported an oil spill from a tanker off its coast, as vessels in Gulf waters continue to come under attack.

Frequent attacks on ships have been reported in recent weeks near the Strait of Hormuz, at the heart of the conflict between Iran and the United States. Authorities "detected a tanker oil spill affecting Umm Al Quwain's beaches," the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said in a statement, referring to an emirate north of Dubai. It said teams immediately began containment, cordoning, clean-up, and remediation to limit environmental impacts, adding that the emirate's beaches had been closed.

Many residents in the north of the country have reported chemical smells on social media in recent days, including residents in northern districts of Dubai. The UAE says the odours "pose no health risks to residents."

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