Iran ceasefire tested as cargo ship catches fire and Kuwait reports drone attack

The shaky ceasefire in the Iran war was tested again on Sunday when a cargo ship caught fire after being hit by an unknown projectile off Qatar's coast, and Kuwait's military reported an attack by drones, without specifying where they came from.

The attacks were the latest threats to a month-old ceasefire, which the Trump administration says remains in effect.

It has faced difficulties, with Iran restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway key to the global flow of oil, and the US imposing a blockade of Iranian ports.

On Friday, the US struck two Iranian oil tankers after it said that the vessels were trying to breach its blockade of Iran's ports.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy on Sunday repeated its warning that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would be met with a "heavy assault" on one of the US bases in the region and enemy ships.

US President Donald Trump has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing, if Iran doesn't accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear program.

Here is the latest on the Middle East conflict:

Kuwait reports drone attack

Kuwait's military says it has responded to a drone attack as the Iran war's shaky ceasefire is tested.

Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saud Abdulaziz Al Otaibi said that hostile drones entered Kuwait's airspace early Sunday, and that forces responded "in accordance with established procedures".

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Cargo ship catches fire after being hit by projectile

A cargo ship caught fire Sunday after being hit by an unknown projectile off Qatar's coast, the British military said, in the latest attack on vessels in the Persian Gulf since a shaky ceasefire stopped fighting between the US and Iran.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said that the strike caused a small fire on the ship, which was extinguished.

The attack happened 43 kilometers northeast of Qatar's capital, Doha, the UKMTO said.

There were no reported casualties, it said.

It gave no details on the owner or origin of the ship, and there was no claim of responsibility.

Britain deploys warship to the Middle East

Britain's defense ministry said it was deploying a warship to the Middle East to join a potential mission to protect commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities end.

The ministry said the HMS Dragon will "preposition" in the region, ready to join a UK-and French-led security plan.

France announced this week it was moving its aircraft carrier strike group into the Red Sea in preparation.

Britain and France have led meetings involving several dozen countries in a coalition to reestablish freedom of navigation in the strait.

But they stress it won't start until there is a sustainable ceasefire and the maritime industry is reassured ships can go through the strait safely.

Diplomacy continues 'day and night'

US President Donald Trump has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn't accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear program.

On Friday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the country was not paying attention to "deadlines," according to state-run IRNA.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the US and Iran "day and night" in an effort to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal.

Russia's foreign ministry said that it, as well as Saudi Arabia, was calling for diplomatic efforts to reach a "sustainable, long-term agreement" to end the war.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters in Moscow that taking enriched uranium from Iran to help negotiate a settlement would allow everyone to see "how much of it there is, and where it is located," and "all of this would be placed under the control of the IAEA," the UN nuclear watchdog.

Egyptian and Qatari top diplomats reiterated that diplomacy is the sole path to a solution, according to a readout of a phone call between the two foreign ministers.