Strait of Hormuz tanker attacks: what we know so far

Two oil tankers were attacked near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Here is what we know so far about the incident and what it means.
What happened? The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said two tankers were hit by unidentified projectiles. One was leaving the strait when it was struck. It caught a small fire and lost power. The crew put out the fire and the ship sailed on.
Hours later, a second tanker was hit east of Oman. No one was hurt in either attack. No oil spilled into the sea.
What do we not know? The agency did not say what the projectiles were or who fired them. Authorities are investigating.
Why does it matter? The strait is a key route for world oil. Before the US-Israel strikes on Iran in February, about a fifth of global oil and gas passed through it.
Seven tankers have been hit this week alone. That makes it tied for the fourth most violent week for ships since the war began seven months ago.
What next? The maritime agency has advised ships to stay cautious. Investigations are under way. Markets will watch for any impact on oil supplies.
Leave a Reply