Dubai: Iran announced on Wednesday that it had launched an attack on 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the United States sank five Iranian oil tankers. This marks the largest wave of retaliatory attacks on maritime vessels by both nations since the war began six months ago, causing oil prices to skyrocket. Brent crude futures surpassed $100 per barrel for the first time since July. Reports indicate that at least one seafarer aboard a tanker has been killed, while another remains missing. According to France24.com, Iran additionally launched ballistic missiles at a base utilized by U.S. forces in Jordan. The escalation of attacks since late August has disrupted a month of relative peace, with both the U.S. and Iran targeting military, shipping, and energy installations. The Revolutionary Guards warned of a significant response to further hostilities, promising to target 20 sites if provoked again. They also plan to release maps of a new maritime exclusion zone extending to Chabahar near Pakistan. UN Se cretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for all parties to exercise restraint to prevent further destabilization near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. reported the destruction of five Iranian oil tankers, releasing footage of the vessels engulfed in flames before sinking. The U.S. Central Command justified the operation as retaliation against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for targeting a U.S. Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice in two days. The U.S. has adopted a policy of targeting Iranian tankers in response to threats against its naval assets, claiming to have destroyed 10 tankers over the last week. Iran retaliated by attacking two U.S. ships and eight tankers. A seafarer died aboard the Hercules Star tanker near Dubai, and another crew member is missing, according to the vessel's charterer, Peninsula. Maritime security sources suspect a drone strike may have been involved. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a vessel listing and possibly taking on water after being hit by a projectile, although it was unclear if this was the same ship. Two Iraqi port officials confirmed that the New Andros, a tanker with 2 million barrels of fuel oil, caught fire in Iraqi waters following a drone strike. No casualties were reported among the 22 crew members. The UKMTO received reports of multiple merchant ships being struck in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Iran further threatened oil tankers in Kuwait and Bahrain, and a liquefied natural gas tanker was reportedly damaged in Khor Fakkan, UAE. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed to have fired ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in eastern Jordan. Jordan's air defenses intercepted 18 of the 20 missiles, with two landing in unpopulated areas. A U.S. official described Iran's strikes as ineffective, confirming all American troops were safe. An explosion was reported in the southern Iranian port city of Jask, but details remain unclear. The recent hostilities have severely impacted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, reducing them to 2 million barrels per day from the previous 8 to 9 million barrels. Claudio Galimberti of Rystad Energy noted the setback in reopening the strait for oil transit. The surge in crude oil prices has also driven up refined fuel costs, with U.S. diesel prices reaching an all-time high above $5.94 per gallon. The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen adds to the energy market's volatility. The Houthis recently attacked four Saudi cities, igniting massive fires at oil facilities. Saudi authorities reported 73 injuries and issued alerts in affected cities before declaring the threat had subsided. A Saudi-backed Yemeni government in the south has launched assaults on Houthi-controlled areas, further threatening Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.
