Two oil tankers have been attacked in the Gulf of Oman, leaving one ablaze and both adrift, raising regional tensions a month after a similar incident involving four tankers.

The US navy’s fifth fleet said it was assisting the tankers, which issued distress calls near the strategic strait of Hormuz. The crew from both tankers were evacuated.

The attacks occurred along one of the world’s busiest oil routes, and the price of oil surged as the initial reports emerged on Thursday.

Tensions in the Gulf have been close to boiling point for weeks as the US puts pressure on Iran in an attempt to force Tehran to reopen talks about the 2015 nuclear deal, which the US pulled out of last year. In May four tankers were attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The US blamed those attacks on Iran – an accusation Tehran has denied.

Read more on theguardian.com.