Iran Attacks Gulf Shipping With Explosive Boats And Mines, Torches Two Tankers, Kills Crewman

Explosive-laden boats struck two fuel tankers in Iraqi territorial waters late on Wednesday, setting both vessels ablaze and killing at least one crew member while dozens more were rescued, according to multiple port and security officials.

“Massive fires on two oil tankers after attack in Iraqi waters Explosive-laden Iranian boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member, after projectiles struck four vessels in Gulf waters, according to reports”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera reported that “Explosive-laden Iranian boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member,” and Iraqi authorities said rescue teams evacuated 25 crew members with a body recovered from the water.

Al Jazeera

The New York Post and other outlets similarly noted that “At least one person is dead and two oil tankers are ablaze” and that “the 38 foreign crew members had to be rescued from the damaged ships after the ‘explosions.’”

Rudaw and Maritime News also recorded that Iraqi port sources and maritime authorities said one crew member had died and dozens were rescued as fires burned on both ships.

The struck vessels were identified as the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-flagged Zefyros, both reported to have been taking on Iraqi cargo in a ship-to-ship loading area near Umm Qasr and Khor al Zubair, according to Iraqi authorities and ship-tracking services.

Several outlets repeated Iraqi statements naming the two ships, with The New York Post noting the flags and owners, Times Now giving details on recent vessel movements and registration, and SOMO and Caspian Post saying the Safesea Vishnu was chartered by an Iraqi company and Zefyros was loaded with condensate from Basra Gas Company.

Caspian Post

Iraqi officials said the attacks occurred within Iraqi territorial waters and that oil ports had halted operations after the strikes.

Reports describe an escalation in methods: authorities and analysts cited explosive-laden small boats and unmanned surface vessels, alongside earlier incidents involving naval drones and the possible laying of mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

“The owner said the cause of the incident remained unclear and was under investigation”

Caspian Post

Al Jazeera and The Straits Times reported use of explosive-laden unmanned surface vessels and naval drones, CNN and The Independent said Iran has reportedly mined the strait and employed asymmetric small-boat tactics, and several outlets noted claims or assessments tying the attacks to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard or to Iran-linked forces without a final independent determination.

The strikes deepened disruption to shipping through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and pushed energy markets higher: multiple outlets said traffic has come to a near-standstill, Iraq’s oil ports suspended operations, and oil prices jumped—fanning fears of broader economic impact.

CNN, The Independent and CNBC reported that shipping near the strait was effectively halted and noted the risk to one-fifth of global oil flows; The Guardian and News24 highlighted rapid oil price rises and analysts’ warnings of stagflationary risks and higher forecasts for Brent crude, while Maritime News and Lloyd’s-related reporting noted continued concerns about tanker movements and possible escort options being examined by G7 countries.

CNN

Responsibility and investigations remained contested and evolving: Iraqi-led inquiries and port officials described the strikes as sabotage and suggested explosive-laden Iranian boats were responsible, while Iran in some instances described underwater drones as the cause and the IRGC has claimed or been linked to several recent maritime strikes; independent confirmation and final determinations were not yet available.

Al Jazeera quoted Iraqi officials calling the act a “flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,” New York Post and Caspian Post referenced an Iraqi-led investigation citing Iranian boats, CNN reported Iran’s own claim that an underwater drone caused explosions, and Rudaw said preliminary investigations pointed to suicide boats though the source remained unknown.

CNN International