The UKMTO reported an attack on a tanker off Kuwait and another ship was hit by a missile. This means that the conflict may no longer be limited to the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKTMO), there was an attack off the coast of Kuwait on Wednesday evening. The Suezmax tanker, now identified as “Sonangol Namibe”, was anchored about 30 nm southeast of the Mubarak al Kabir governorate at the time of the incident. The captain of the ship observed an explosion on the port side. A small boat was reportedly sighted leaving the scene of the accident.
The explosion punctured one of the ship’s cargo tanks, causing oil to leak into the water. The operator later explained that although a ballast tank was damaged, no oil had escaped. The crew remained unharmed and the circumstances are still being investigated.
The attack is remarkable in that it differs from other Iranian activities in the Persian Gulf. Kuwait is located in the west of the Persian Gulf and is therefore the furthest away from the Strait of Hormuz. This suggests that the crisis zone now stretches the entire length of the Persian Gulf – assuming the attacks can be traced back to Iran or sympathizers of the mullahs’ regime.
US oil tanker hit by missile
The most recent attacks by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard include a missile strike on a US oil tanker, according to several media reports. This is said to have been hit “in the north of the Persian Gulf” and is on fire, as the Guard announced on state television. Independent confirmation of the attack is still pending.
The Revolutionary Guard announced on Monday that it would take control of the Strait of Hormuz and thus access to the Persian Gulf. Ships passing through the strait are therefore to be fired upon. This means that the Strait is effectively closed and numerous ships are stranded in the Gulf. In addition to tankers – around 20% of the world’s oil needs pass through the strait – container and MPP ships are also affected.
