Get you up to speed: Iran strikes two oil tankers off Iraq, causing casualties and fires
Iran struck two oil tankers, the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Zefyroswere, with explosives off the coast of Iraq around 1.30 am local time. Iraq’s director general of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, stated that these foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were subjected to unidentified attacks, causing them to catch fire.
Iraq’s director general of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, stated that two foreign tankers were subjected to unidentified attacks, resulting in them catching fire. The UK Government announced its contribution of 13.5 million barrels from its stockpile to aid in stabilising oil markets, in response to rising prices.
Iraq has halted all oil-importing and exporting activities at its ports, although commercial ports for container ships will continue to function normally. Meanwhile, the UK Government plans to contribute 13.5 million barrels from its own stockpile to the International Energy Agency’s release of 400 million barrels from strategic reserves to stabilise the oil market.
Iran destroys two oil tankers hundreds of miles from Strait of Hormuz | News World
Iran has struck two oil tankers with explosives, causing them to burst into flames off the coast of Iraq.
The boats are believed to be laden with explosives and are unmanned, similar to drones – except on water.
Around 1.30 am local time, Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Zefyroswere were hit by an ‘unknown projectile’ off the coast of Iraq, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operation.
38 crew members were rescued, and one person died, according to Iraqi news agencies.
Another container ship was hit overnight off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, catching fire – but the crew is safe.
Iraq’s director general of the General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, said: ‘Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were subjected to unidentified attacks inside territorial waters, causing them to catch fire.’
Iraq has since stopped all ports which import and export oil, but said commercial ports which serve container ships will continue to operate as normal.
As marine traffic tries to cope with the new conflict, the spokesperson for Iran’s military command warned: ‘Get ready for oil be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security which you have destabilised.’
Earlier this week, the US destroyed ten Iranian boats planting mines across one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway off Iran’s southern coast that sees around 80 oil and gas tankers pass through it every day, carrying about one-fifth of the globe’s crude oil.
Iran has long claimed it controlled the stretch of water which connects the Persian Gulf with the open waters of the Indian Ocean.
The Iranians have an estimated 5,000 mines, which are cheap, easy to deploy from small boats, submarines, or even disguised civilian vessels.
Iraqi media showed the large ship engulfed in flames (Picture: AP)
Marine traffic has dried up since the US and Israel launched a deadly attack on Tehran, prompting Iran to attack any ships veering towards it.
Only a limited number of tankers have made it through the Hormuz, often by switching off the devices that broadcast their positions.
It’s also put the oil market in a precarious position. Today, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is releasing a record 400 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves to help stabilise markets.
The UK Government said it will contribute 13.5 million barrels from its own stockpile for the release.
Brent crude oil prices were up 3.5% on Wednesday afternoon at 90.87 US dollars a barrel, although this remains significantly down from the peak hit on Monday amid concerns over an intensification in the Iran conflict.
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