Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
An oil tanker was sunk after being targeted while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state television reported Sunday, in a major escalation that is heightening maritime risks and disrupting global shipping flows.
According to Reuters, roughly 150 oil tankers are currently waiting in open Gulf waters, avoiding passage through the strategic chokepoint amid growing security fears. News agencies reported that at least two tankers have been damaged so far in Iranian attacks near the strait.
The incident comes in the aftermath of the recent US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, after which oil and gas carriers have increasingly diverted away from the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting rising caution across the global shipping industry.
Tracking data indicates a significant buildup of vessels outside the strait, while some tankers reversed course mid-transit. Several ships also reported receiving radio broadcasts attributed to the Iranian navy declaring a ban on passage through the waterway, although Tehran has issued no formal closure announcement.
Earlier, the United States warned commercial shipping in the Middle East to keep a distance of 30 nautical miles from US military assets in the region. Despite the heightened risks, some traffic has continued: data compiled by Bloomberg showed seven vessels exiting the strait and six entering after the warnings were issued.
First Strikes Reach Oman
In a further widening of the conflict, the Port of Duqm in Oman and an oil tanker off its coast were attacked Sunday, marking the first strikes on the sultanate since Iran began retaliating for the US-Israeli operations that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader.
Omani authorities said two drones targeted the commercial port. One struck a mobile workers’ housing unit, injuring an expatriate worker, while debris from the second fell near fuel storage tanks without causing additional casualties or damage.
Shortly afterward, Oman announced that an oil tanker flying the flag of Palau had been targeted off its coast, leaving four crew members injured before they were evacuated.
Civilian Sites Across Gulf Under Fire
The second day of Iranian strikes followed deadly attacks Saturday in which two civilians were killed in Abu Dhabi. Iran’s retaliation has targeted both military facilities and civilian infrastructure across the Gulf.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported that two people were injured in Dubai when debris from intercepted drones fell onto homes. In Abu Dhabi, a woman and child were wounded after drone fragments struck a building in the Etihad Towers complex.
Witnesses reported thick black smoke rising from Jebel Ali port in southern Dubai early Sunday after officials said debris from an interceptor missile sparked a nighttime fire.
Iran’s defence ministry said its forces launched 137 missiles and 209 drones at targets across the UAE on Saturday. Fires and smoke were seen near prominent landmarks including the Palm Jumeirah artificial island and the Burj Al Arab hotel.
Regional Impact Widens
Elsewhere in the Gulf, authorities said drones struck Manama airport in Bahrain early Sunday, causing minor damage. The US embassy in Manama warned its citizens to avoid hotels in the capital after the Crowne Plaza hotel was targeted, raising concerns that hospitality sites could become potential targets.
In Qatar, which hosts the region’s largest US military installation, officials said Iran launched 65 missiles and 12 drones toward the country. Most were intercepted, but eight people were injured, one critically.
Witnesses on Saturday reported smoke rising from US bases in Abu Dhabi and Manama, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet as well as from American facilities in Kuwait.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash sharply criticized Tehran, writing on X that “Iran’s aggression against Gulf states has missed the mark” and warning the escalation risks further isolating the country.
Security analysts say the Gulf states now find themselves on the front lines of the rapidly expanding conflict. Anna Jacobs, a Gulf security specialist, said the region traditionally favors de-escalation and diplomacy but warned that continued Iranian targeting could make restraint increasingly difficult.
Growing Risk to Global Energy Flows
The mounting attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz through which a significant share of the world’s oil exports passes, have raised fears of broader disruption to global energy markets and maritime trade.
With dozens of vessels waiting outside the waterway and shipping firms reassessing routes, industry observers warn that any sustained instability in the strait could have immediate ripple effects on oil prices, insurance costs and supply chains worldwide.
