Merchant Vessels Targeted in Gulf and Gulf of Oman Amid Escalating Tensions
Several merchant vessels hit by disabling fire in Gulf and Gulf of Oman as tensions rise between U.S., Iran, and regional actors.
POLICY WIRE — London, United Kingdom — Several commercial ships in the northern Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman were subjected to disabling fire during military activity in the region, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The agency reported receiving information from military sources about the incident but did not confirm casualties or environmental damage.
Iranian state media claimed its forces attacked eight oil tankers and two U.S. vessels in retaliation for previous U.S. strikes on Iranian ships. However, the U.S. Central Command denied these claims, stating that no U.S. warships had been struck and that all Iranian attacks had failed. Meanwhile, Houthi rebels in Yemen reported that Saudi-backed forces launched multiple airstrikes across four provinces following attacks on Saudi oil facilities that left dozens injured.
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The ongoing conflict has pushed Brent crude oil prices past $100 per barrel. In a separate development, an Israeli official confirmed that the British Consulate in Jerusalem will close within 30 days in response to the U.K.’s decision to ban trade with settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Protests also erupted in South Korea, where demonstrators urged the government to reject U.S. demands for military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz amid growing regional tensions.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
