A liquified natural gas tanker was set ablaze after being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman, according to Iranian state television. The report implied that Tehran carried out the assault on the tanker, which was carrying natural gas from Qatar.
Attack Details
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the tanker was hit near Limah, Oman, in the strait. The projectile struck the port side of the vessel as it was traveling south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman. Authorities are investigating the incident, and there was no environmental impact from the strike.
The attack occurred as Iran mourns the death of its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s joint military command had warned last Thursday that all oil tankers moving through the strait must use its approved routes, threatening a forceful response against any vessel that fails to comply.
US-Iran Relations
The US is eager to press ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the strait, rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear program, and reaching a permanent end to the war. However, previous attacks in the strait have sparked retaliatory strikes by the US, raising the risk of escalation.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
