All articles tagged with #gulf of oman
Explosions were heard in two southern Iranian locations—Kharg Island, a key oil-export hub, and the port city of Jask—on Tuesday night, with authorities offering few details on the cause or casualties. Iran's Fars News Agency reported the Jask blast, but there has been no official confirmation yet. Separately, Iran warned it would target U.S. bases if Iranian oil tankers were attacked, signaling heightened regional tensions.
Rising US–Israel and Iran strikes at sea around the Strait of Hormuz threaten a potential oil spill and environmental damage, with about 1.76 million cubic metres (roughly 11 million barrels) of oil aboard waiting or passing tankers—enough to meet a significant share of world demand—while hundreds of ships await transit and Gulf coastal ecosystems and desalination-dependent communities face elevated risks.
The United States says it attacked five Iranian oil carriers in the Gulf of Oman and near Kharg Island after accusing Tehran of firing missiles at a U.S. warship; Iran retaliated against U.S. forces in Jordan, with Jordan reporting interception of 18 of 20 missiles and no casualties; CENTCOM says the ships were evacuated and rendered inoperable, while Iran claims damage and warns of further tanker attacks; oil prices rose amid the flare-up in tensions.
Four crewmembers were killed when Iran-backed Houthis attacked the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah in Bab el-Mandeb—three Pakistanis and one Indonesian—while two rescuers from an anti-Houthi group were killed during a follow-up rescue; ten people were injured. Separately, U.S. forces fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman, disabling its steering gear after it reportedly violated a naval blockade, underscoring ongoing shipping tensions around Yemen and Iran-linked activity.
US Central Command says a MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room of the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman after warnings were ignored, disabling its steering and stopping it from transiting to Iran as part of the blockade of Iranian ports; Iran has not commented; the broader US‑Iran confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz and shipping disruptions continues with no casualties reported.
U.S. Central Command says a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the rudder of the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova in the Gulf of Oman to stop it from bypassing the Iranian ports embargo, disabling its steering gear and prompting the crew to transfer to another vessel; no casualties were reported. The incident comes amid tense US-Iran talks and reports of a potential near-deal, with some officials noting President Trump might declare victory without a nuclear agreement.
As US-Iran hostilities intensify, the US conducts a sixth straight night of strikes on Iran’s southern coast, including bridges near Bandar Abbas, while Iran broadens retaliation across the region against US facilities and assets in Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Oman. Incidents cited include the destruction of a maritime surveillance tower in Chabahar and reports of a tanker boarded near Oman; a UK man was charged with assisting Iran’s intelligence service. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz at risk and oil prices rising, analysts warn the crisis could widen and become harder to contain.
The United Arab Emirates aims to build a new port and oil-export hub in Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, led by DP World, to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and reduce dependence on Dubai’s Jebel Ali. The plan includes upgrading Fujairah and other Gulf of Oman ports (Dibba, Khor Fakkan) and reflects steps to mitigate transit disruption from regional tensions, while tying into broader corridor projects like IMEC and potential redirection routes to the Mediterranean, all within a complex geopolitical environment involving Israel and Saudi Arabia.
US Central Command says it fired precision munitions into the engine room of the MT Settebello after the crew failed to follow directions, killing three Indian sailors and rescuing 21 others; India protested the strike as regional tensions rise with other attacks on ships carrying Indian crews.
US forces say they struck vessels near the Gulf of Oman after alleged blockade violations, including the Palau-flagged Settebello, where three Indian sailors were killed and 21 of 24 Indian crew were rescued; the Jalveer was also struck. India has summoned a senior US diplomat, while Pakistan, Russia, China and others call for de-escalation as the Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint.
The US attacked the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman for allegedly violating a blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil, leaving three Indian sailors missing and 21 rescued. Centcom says eight vessels have been disabled and 134 redirected since the blockade began on April 13. India summoned the US deputy envoy in Delhi as tensions rise over attacks on civilian shipping; a prior incident also involved a Palau-flagged tanker with an Indian crew.
A US warplane fired on the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman after the crew refused to comply with directions, disabling its engine room as part of enforcement of an Iran-related blockade. Twenty-one Indian crew members were rescued and three were reported missing, prompting New Delhi to lodge a protest. The incident fits into a broader pattern of attacks and blockades around the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions between the US, Iran, and regional actors.
U.S. Central Command says a U.S. Navy F/A-18 fired a precision munition at the Palau-flagged tanker M/T Marivex in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to respond and appeared headed for Iran, violating a naval blockade. The Marivex is now confirmed not to be sailing to Iran. Since the blockade began in mid-April, seven non-compliant ships have been disabled, more than 100 vessels have complied or been redirected, and 42 humanitarian ships have passed.
The U.S. military says a Gambian-flagged bulk carrier, Lian Star, was disabled by American aircraft in the Gulf of Oman after ignoring warnings while trying to reach an Iranian port, the sixth vessel blocked so far with one allowed to pass; Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports since April 17 as tensions over Iran's nuclear program and regional conflicts continue, with ongoing disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations over a ceasefire extension.
Iran has reportedly seized the Honduras-flagged vessel Hui Chuan, alleged to operate as a floating armoury storing weapons for security firms, and redirected it toward Iranian waters according to UKMTO; BBC Verify has not confirmed cargo details, and the incident follows attacks on an Indian-flagged vessel, highlighting ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions.