Iran has taken responsibility for a frightening assault on two oil tankers departing from Iraq. Startling videos and photos captured a large vessel exploding into flames and smoke last Thursday. The director general of Iraq’s General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, disclosed that the attack occurred within Iraqi waters. He stated, “Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil were attacked by unknown assailants in our territorial waters, resulting in fires onboard.”
Subsequently, it was revealed that Iranian boats laden with explosives had targeted the ships. CNN reported that 38 crew members were rescued, though unfortunately, one fatality was confirmed. Concurrently, Iran issued a warning of oil prices soaring to a potential $200 per barrel, with significant repercussions on fuel costs domestically.
Following the incidents, all oil ports in Iraq have ceased operations. Just a few days earlier, an Iranian naval vessel near Bandar Abbas had been targeted in a joint US-Israeli operation. The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route, has seen a decline in ship transits due to apprehensions of further Iranian attacks.
