Iran attacked the Kuwaiti oil tanker Al-Salmi in the port of Dubai — Bloomberg
On Tuesday, an Iranian attack drone struck the Kuwaiti-flagged oil tanker Al-Salmi, which was anchored in the port of Dubai.
Bloomberg reported this.
The attack sparked a fire on board the vessel, but it was quickly contained without any oil spilling into the sea.
The VLCC (very large crude carrier) tanker belonged to the state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corp. The owner’s statement noted: “The strike, which occurred at night, damaged the ship’s hull and caused a fire on board.”
At the time of the incident, the vessel was fully loaded with crude oil and was awaiting departure from the Persian Gulf.
Port rescue services confirmed that the fire was successfully contained and that all 24 crew members are currently safe.
Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the crew, an environmental disaster was averted in one of the world’s busiest maritime hubs.
The incident immediately triggered instability in energy markets, causing a sharp spike in fuel prices.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures jumped nearly 4% to $107 per barrel, although the price subsequently stabilized somewhat.
The anchorage area in Dubai is traditionally used by ships to arrange insurance against military risks.
Ships often stop here to coordinate logistical details before passing through the narrow and dangerous corridors of the Gulf.
According to Bloomberg analysts, more than 400 vessels of various types were in this area at the time of the attack.
The situation is complicated by constant electromagnetic interference, which can distort the actual coordinates of ships in this sector.
As a reminder, Iran called Ukraine an accomplice to U.S. and Israeli aggression at the UN.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the Iranian regime had made two attempts to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump.
