Fresh attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf on Wednesday have heightened tensions in the Middle East, as Iran intensified its campaign against regional oil-exporting rivals, raising fears of disruptions to global energy supplies through the critical Strait of Hormuz.
At least three commercial ships were struck in separate incidents, with one vessel reportedly engulfed in flames. The attacks come as the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its 12th day, escalating concerns over the safety of international shipping routes.
Global oil prices jumped by more than five per cent in early trading following the attacks. Markets have been volatile since late last month when US and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran that killed the country’s supreme leader and triggered a broader regional conflict.
Iran’s military has vowed to intensify its campaign by targeting “economic centres and banks” connected to US and Israeli interests, further raising alarm over the security of the Strait of Hormuz — a vital maritime route that handles about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas shipments and a third of global fertiliser supplies.
In response to rising energy prices, leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting to discuss the possible release of strategic petroleum reserves. Energy ministers from the bloc said they are ready to take coordinated action alongside the International Energy Agency to stabilize global markets.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has already indicated that the country could begin releasing oil from its reserves as early as Monday, even without waiting for a formal decision from the IEA.
Security concerns escalated further after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre reported that a cargo ship north of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
Two additional ships — a bulk carrier and a container vessel — were also hit in the Gulf waters off the United Arab Emirates.
Thailand’s navy confirmed that the bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the navy, 20 crew members were rescued by the Omani navy, while efforts were ongoing to rescue three others.
The conflict also spilled onto land as drones fell near Dubai International Airport, injuring four people, according to city authorities.
The Pentagon said earlier that US forces had destroyed 16 Iranian vessels believed to be capable of laying naval mines that could block the strait. However, drone and missile attacks on maritime targets have continued.
US President Donald Trump warned Tehran against deploying mines in the waterway, saying on social media that any such move would provoke unprecedented military consequences.
Although the United States has suggested deploying naval escorts for oil tankers passing through the strait, analysts remain sceptical about the effectiveness of such measures.
According to the Soufan Center think tank, escort missions would still face constant threats from Iranian missiles and drones, potentially making shipping through the strait too costly for commercial operators. Experts estimate that Iran possesses between 2,000 and 6,000 naval mines, which could further complicate efforts to secure the route.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on all parties involved in the conflict to pursue an immediate ceasefire, warning that the war risks engulfing the entire region.
“This war must be stopped before it becomes bigger and completely engulfs the region in flames,” Erdogan said, adding that the Middle East is once again surrounded by “the smell of blood and gunpowder.”
Despite such calls, Iran’s leadership has rejected the idea of a ceasefire, while Israel announced it had begun a new wave of wide-scale strikes targeting Iranian positions and Hezbollah-linked sites in Beirut, Lebanon.
Inside Iran, authorities have warned against domestic dissent, with police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan stating that protesters would be treated as enemies of the state.
The war began on February 28 after coordinated US and Israeli attacks killed Iran’s long-time leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been named as his successor, although he has not yet appeared publicly amid reports that he may have been injured.
Iran’s health ministry said more than 1,200 people have been killed and over 10,000 civilians injured since the strikes began on March 8, though the figures have not been independently verified.
The conflict has also spread to other parts of the region, with Iraq and Lebanon becoming proxy battlefields involving Iran-backed groups. In Lebanon alone, authorities say Israeli air strikes and ground operations targeting Hezbollah have killed at least 570 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
Additional Israeli strikes were reported in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday, including an attack on a building in the heart of the Lebanese capital.
AFP
