A Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker was at risk of exploding, and a Saudi oil tanker sustained damage after incidents near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Reuters reports, writes UNN.
Details
Following reports of attacks on commercial vessels, the Combined Maritime Information Center (JMIC), operating under the leadership of the U.S. Navy, raised the threat level for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz from "substantial" to "severe." This is the highest threat level recorded since June 15.
Despite the agreement between Washington and Tehran on the restoration of shipping after a three-month war, tensions in the region persist. According to the agency, vessel traffic through the strait has increased in recent days, but still amounts to only one-third to one-fifth of pre-war levels.
Threat level rises again
JMIC noted that the latest confirmed incidents indicate a continued high level of danger for shipping.
Recent confirmed incidents indicate that the threat remains elevated and requires extreme vigilance
The center also warned that mariners should expect further increased naval presence, route congestion, and more active actions from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
It is currently unknown whether the latest attacks will lead to a new large-scale disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which before the start of the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February facilitated the transit of about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies.