An Indian nationwide was killed after Iran focused two oil tankers — together with one owned by a US agency — off Iraq’s coast in a single day, escalating tensions within the area already gripped by the intensifying US-Israel-Iran war that has been raging for practically two weeks. The strikes mark the primary time Iran has instantly focused oil tankers since warning that “not a litre of oil” would be allowed to go via the Strait of Hormuz, a essential world vitality chokepoint, amid the continued struggle.
A US-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker, Safesea Vishnu, was attacked by an Iranian “suicide” boat close to the Khor Al Zubair port inside Iraq’s territorial waters, sources informed information company PTI. The identification of the Indian nationwide, who was killed within the assault, has not been disclosed but. The remaining 27 crew members and personnel aboard the vessel have been rescued and brought to the southern Iraqi metropolis of Basra, sources added.
Videos circulating on social media confirmed a robust explosion adopted by a large fireplace engulfing two oil tankers — the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu, the latter owned by a US agency. Flames may very well be seen spreading throughout the water, suggesting oil had spilled from the vessels. The tankers have been believed to be carrying as a lot as 400,000 barrels of Iraqi crude, in keeping with ship-tracking web site TankerTrackers.com.
The strikes look like a part of a technique by Iran to strain the US to halt assaults on Iranian and Iran-linked targets and to deter Washington from further escalating the conflict. It additionally got here hours after US President Donald Trump claimed the United States had effectively won the war with Iran.
The vessels focused within the incident have been the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu. The Safesea Vishnu is owned by the US-based firm Safesea Transport Inc, whereas the Zefyros is operated by a Greece-based agency.
Sources near Safesea, talking on situation of anonymity, stated the corporate was devastated by the dying of the Indian crew member within the assault.
According to the maritime monitoring web site VesselFinder, the Safesea Vishnu is a crude oil tanker inbuilt 2007. The vessel, which sails beneath the Marshall Islands flag, measures 228.6 metres in size and 32.57 metres in width. It has a gross tonnage of 42,010 and a deadweight tonnage of 73,976, the web site stated.
SHIP ATTACKS ON HORMUZ
Iran’s focusing on of oil tankers comes because the nation has repeatedly targeted commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, one of many world’s most important maritime chokepoints via which about 20 per cent of worldwide oil provides go. During the continued struggle with the US and Israel, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned vessels to not enter the waterway and threatened to assault ships trying to cross it.
The Strait of Hormuz, positioned between Oman and Iran, is likely one of the world’s most essential vitality transit routes. The ongoing struggle has triggered oil costs climbing to almost USD 120 a barrel, the very best degree in about 4 years, amid fears of extended provide disruptions.
In an interview with CBS News on Monday, US President Donald Trump warned that any try by Tehran to disrupt world oil flows would imply the “end of Iran.”
The remarks, nevertheless, left Iran deterred because the IRGC stated it will not allow even “one litre of oil” to be shipped from the Middle East if assaults on Iran continued.
INDIA CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS
Meanwhile, India on Wednesday condemned an attack on a Thai-flagged cargo vessel headed for Gujarat’s Kandla Port. The ship, recognized as Mayuree Naree, was struck by an Iranian projectile whereas crusing towards India.
In an announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs stated it had taken notice of the stories concerning the incident and warned that such assaults on industrial vessels have been changing into more and more harmful.
The IRGC later claimed accountability for the strike, saying the Thai bulk service had entered the Strait of Hormuz “after ignoring warnings.”
– Ends
(with inputs from PTI)
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