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Iran has struck two oil tankers with explosives, causing them to burst into flames within the Strait of Hormuz.
The boats are believed to be laden with explosives and are unmanned, much like 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, in accordance with the UK Maritime Trade Operation.
38 crew members were rescued, and one person died, in accordance with Iraqi news agencies.
One other container ship was hit overnight off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, catching fire – however the crew is secure.
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 business ports which serve container ships will proceed to operate as normal.
As marine traffic tries to address the brand new conflict, the spokesperson for Iran’s military command warned: ‘Prepare for oil be $200 a barrel, since the oil price relies on regional security which you’ve got destabilised.’
Earlier this week, the US destroyed ten Iranian boats planting mines across one of the crucial essential shipping lanes on this planet.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway off Iran’s southern coast that sees around 80 oil and gas tankers go through it daily, 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, that are low-cost, easy to deploy from small boats, submarines, and even disguised civilian vessels.
Marine traffic has dried up because the US and Israel launched a deadly attack on Tehran, prompting Iran to attack any ships veering towards it.
Only a limited variety 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 assist stabilise markets.
The UK Government said it’s going to contribute 13.5 million barrels from its own stockpile for the discharge.
Brent crude oil prices were up 3.5% on Wednesday afternoon at 90.87 US dollars a barrel, although this stays significantly down from the height hit on Monday amid concerns over an intensification within the Iran conflict.
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