Attacks on ships near the Strait of Hormuz are intensifying, with three vessels hit by projectiles on Wednesday and Tehran threatening that oil will reach $200, while Israel and Iran launched new waves of intense strikes overnight, and Gulf countries intercepted new waves of Iranian drones and missiles early Wednesday morning, UNN reports, citing CNN and Reuters.
Details
What is known on the 12th day of the war in the Middle East:
- attacks near the Strait of Hormuz: according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), three vessels were hit by "unknown projectiles" near the strait this morning;
A dry cargo ship became the third vessel hit by an "unknown projectile" this morning near the Strait of Hormuz - 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai. The crew is safe, and there are no environmental consequences, UKMTO reported. Earlier, another cargo ship caught fire after being hit by a projectile, and an evacuation was underway. The vessel was 11 nautical miles north of the Musandam Peninsula in Oman. Even earlier on Wednesday, another container ship reported damage after being hit by a projectile off the northern coast of the UAE, northwest of Ras al-Khaimah, UKMTO reported. According to UKMTO, 13 vessels have been attacked since the beginning of the war.
20 crew members were rescued, but three are missing after a Thai vessel was hit by a projectile, the Thai Ministry of Transport reported. The Thai bulk carrier "Mayuree Naree" departed from the UAE with 23 crew members on board, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Pipat Ratchakitprakan. As it was passing through the strait, an explosion occurred at the stern, causing a fire in the engine room, where the three missing sailors are presumed to have been. By order of the captain, the crew abandoned the ship and evacuated to lifeboats. They were subsequently rescued by the Omani Navy and taken to the city of Khasab, the Ministry of Transport reported.
Two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz were attacked by Iran today, the IRGC said in a statement. According to Fars, the Thai-flagged dry cargo ship "Mayuree Naree" was shelled after it "ignored warnings and persistently tried to illegally pass through the Strait of Hormuz," the IRGC said. Another Liberian-flagged vessel named "Express Rome" was also "hit by Iranian projectiles this morning after ignoring IRGC Navy warnings," the armed forces said, according to Fars. Data from the analytical company MarineTraffic showed that both vessels were in the Strait of Hormuz earlier today.
Earlier today, a spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters in Tehran stated that Iran "will never allow a single drop of oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of the United States, Zionists, or their partners." "Any vessel or any oil cargo belonging to the United States, the Israeli regime, or their hostile partners will be considered a legitimate target," his statement said. "We will pursue a strike-for-strike policy until you are fully punished and regret your actions."
Be prepared for a barrel of oil to cost $200, because the price of oil depends on regional security, which you have destabilized
- strikes intensify: Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had launched its "most intense" operation since the start of the war. The attack targeted facilities in Israel and American facilities in the region, state media reported. In Israel and across the Persian Gulf, there were reports of interceptions and sirens sounding.
Israel announced a new wave of strikes on Tehran overnight. Video geolocated by CNN showed explosions in the direction of Mehrabad International Airport in the city. Strikes hit residential areas of Iran early Wednesday morning during a wave of Israeli attacks, CNN writes.
Strikes on the suburbs of Beirut in Lebanon were reported by the Israeli military late Tuesday.
Early Wednesday morning, the Iranian Red Crescent said a residential area in Tehran was targeted, while a paramedic in Lebanon was killed after an Israeli strike hit a Red Cross ambulance," CNN writes;
- Iran's president said that the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is "safe," amid rumors of his injury in American-Israeli strikes. He has not been seen in public since Sunday;
- one of seven Iranian female footballers who sought asylum changed her mind, forcing the remaining six women to urgently relocate after Iranian authorities learned of their whereabouts.
What is known by country:
- Israel: Sirens sounded in central Israel on Wednesday morning after the Israel Defense Forces warned of rocket launches from Iran. No casualties were reported. Earlier, Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had carried out "multi-layered and continuous waves" of shelling against targets in Israel;
- Saudi Arabia: The country's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday morning that it had intercepted and destroyed two drones in the eastern parts of the country, the center of the kingdom's oil and gas industry. Earlier, it said it had intercepted six ballistic missiles heading for Prince Sultan Air Base;
- United Arab Emirates: The UAE warned residents to stay safe, and the Ministry of Defense said that air defense systems were "responding to missile and drone threats from Iran". Four foreigners from India, Ghana and Bangladesh were injured when two drones crashed near Dubai International Airport on Wednesday morning. "Air traffic is operating normally," the Dubai government's media office said;
- Bahrain: Sirens also sounded in Bahrain, and the Ministry of Interior urged residents to go to the nearest safe place.
- Iraq: Iran continues to attack US military and diplomatic facilities in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. Earlier on Tuesday, a suspected Iranian drone struck a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad airport, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN;
- Kuwait: The Kuwait National Guard said it shot down eight drones in its area of responsibility on Wednesday morning;
- Qatar: A CNN team in Doha heard loud explosions over the city, so loud that buildings shook, on Wednesday morning.
Russia provides Iran with specific advice on drone tactics - CNN11.03.26, 14:01 • [views_2948]