As the world’s biggest chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, continues to be a huge concern for the world, commercial ships are now becoming the target of Iranian attacks across the Persian Gulf amid the escalating war between Iran and the United States.
This comes as the Strait of Hormuz reportedly remained effectively closed to almost non-Iranian ships. Inbound traffic to the Persian Gulf was also at a standstill in the last 24 hours. Follow UAE news live updates
The only reported movement was that of two bulk carriers and a small number of Iran-linked vessels, including a supertanker, a container ship and a hulk carrier, Bloomberg reported, citing vessel-tracking data.
Iran targets commercial ships
Iran reportedly attacked commercial ships across the Persian Gulf on Wednesday as its war with the United States continued spilling into the Middle East region.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said that three vessels were hit with suspected projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf on Wednesday.
Track US-Iran war news live updates
Earlier, a projectile hit a container ship off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, with flames rising out of the vessel, the British military said. Most of the ship’s crew was forced to abandon the vessel.
The other vessels, which were also unidentified, included a container vessel west of Ras Al-Khaimah and a bulk carrier northwest of Dubai, the UK navy added.
ALSO READ | Trump warns Iran of consequences ‘never seen before’ amid reports of mines in Strait of Hormuz
Before Wednesday, the UKMTO reportedly received reports of at least ten attacks from February 28, the day of the US-Israeli joint attacks on Iran, to March 10. It said that the threat level remained “critical”.
Iran also targeted oil fields and refiners across the Gulf nations, aiming to create sufficient global economic pain to pressure the US and Israel into ending their strikes.
Kuwait said it downed eight Iranian drones, while Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted five drones heading towards its Shaybah oil field.
Amid the increasing attacks, the UAE closed one of the world’s largest oil refineries as a “precaution” following a drone attack nearby, AFP reported, citing a source.
ALSO READ | US destroys 16 Iran ships deployed to lay mines in Strait of Hormuz | Video
“The Ruwais refinery has halted operations out of precaution,” it said. State-owned oil company Adnoc described its Ruwais facility as the “world’s fourth-largest single-site refinery”.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh military consequences amid reports of mines in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that there will be action at a “level never before seen” if Tehran does not remove the alleged mines from the strait.
“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” wrote Trump in a post on Truth Social.
US ‘rescue’ post triggers drop in oil prices
Earlier, US energy secretary Chris Wright posted and then deleted a post which claimed that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the White House later confirmed that no such operation had taken place.
Wright’s post triggered a drop in oil prices, as traders felt a brief sense of reassurance that maritime routes might reopen.
Issuing a clarification on the post, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “I can confirm that the US Navy has not escorted a tanker or vessel at this time, though that is an option the president has said he will utilise if necessary.”