A drone has hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters, causing a fire, local authorities say.
Reuters reports Iran carried out the attack on the fully loaded crude oil tanker, known as the Al-Salmi, at Dubai Port's anchorage, damaging its hull, citing Kuwait's state news agency and Kuwait Petroleum Corp. The company has warned of a possible oil spill.
Authorities are working to control the fire, according to the Dubai Media Office.
All 24 crew members are safe, and no injuries have been reported, the office said.
Refineries in Singapore and South Korea are crucial to New Zealand’s fuel provisions. (Source: 1News)
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, run by the British military, reported the strike, saying the vessel was 57km northwest of Dubai.
It said an unknown projectile struck their tanker on the starboard side, causing a fire on the vessel. No environmental impact has been reported, the centre said.
Iranian officials could not be immediately reached for comment, Reuters reports.
Oil prices rise again as concerns of energy crisis grow
Iran’s attacks on the energy infrastructure of the region and its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz have threatened global supplies of oil, natural gas and fertiliser. The strait is a crucial waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped in peacetime.
At the start of another week, there are more signs the deepening oil crisis will continue to hit Kiwi families hard. (Source: 1News)
The attacks have sent fuel prices skyrocketing and given rise to growing concerns about an energy crisis.
US president Donald Trump said earlier that Iran agreed to allow 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz starting today as “a sign of respec".
There was no information on whether those ships were actually moving.
Brent crude oil, the international standard, was trading around US$115 on Tuesday, up nearly 60% from when the war started. In a social media post, Trump said “great progress is being made” in talks with Iran to end military operations.
Iranian officials deny any negotiations are taking place as missile and drone strikes continue. (Source: 1News)
But he said if a deal is not reached “shortly", and if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened, the US would broaden its offensive by “completely obliterating” power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island and possibly even desalination plants.
The laws of armed conflict allow attacks on civilian infrastructure such as energy plants only if the military advantage outweighs the civilian harm, legal scholars say.
It’s considered a high bar to clear, and causing excessive suffering to civilians can constitute a war crime.
– additional reporting by 1News
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