All articles tagged with #tankers
Oil prices jumped toward $100 after the U.S. destroyed five Iranian crude tankers in the Gulf of Oman in response to IRGC attacks; Iran retaliated against a U.S. base in Jordan and Houthis attacked Saudi energy sites, heightening supply risk as traders await the API inventory report.
US Central Command says it struck five Iranian oil tankers linked to the IRGC in the Gulf of Oman in response to Iran’s missiles against a US base in Jordan; Tehran claimed missile launches and Jordanian defenses said most missiles were intercepted, with oil prices rising as tensions escalated.
US forces struck Iranian oil tankers linked to the IRGC after Iran attempted to attack a US carrier and destroyer, with strikes reported near Kharg Island and the port of Jask; Tehran had warned it would target oil tankers in Kuwait and Bahrain, following a weekend clash in which the US sank one tanker and disabled two others, as sanctions on Iran’s aviation sector expand and the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint.
Amid a widening naval standoff, CENTCOM released footage of three Iranian crude-oil tankers being struck (two permanently disabled, one sunk) and Iran’s IRGC claiming explosions against US ships and missiles toward a carrier. Tehran warns of faster, heavier responses as Washington maintains a blockade and sanctions, with oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted and rerouted, and both sides trading accusations while Iran forms an economic-response command to counter pressure.
Tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have intensified into a tanker-for-tanker phase: the US has struck Iranian state targets after attacks on commercial shipping and two NITC tankers, while a Liberian-flagged VLCC sits listing off Oman. The broader risk environment includes missile and drone threats, mines, and shifting shipping practices and registries as Gulf-area operators adapt to disrupted routes and price implications.
Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Authority blacklisted 45 tankers for alleged transit violations, warning they could be fined, detained, or have their cargo—oil or LNG—confiscated, with other vessels linked to the blacklisted ships also at risk. The move comes as US sanctions pressure intensifies and a naval blockade constrains Iranian oil exports, underscoring Hormuz’s role as a key global oil chokepoint amid ongoing conflict and economic measures.
U.S. Senator JD Vance urged Ukraine to refrain from striking tankers that use a Russian port, signaling a call for restraint amid the ongoing Ukraine–Russia conflict.
After the Iran-linked Houthi group announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, several oil tankers near Yemen made sharp U-turns instead of entering the Bab al-Mandab, underscoring disruption risks to Red Sea trade and potential rises in oil prices and freight costs.
Ukraine says its drones hit multiple Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov, with 14 ships struck on Sunday (including 10 tankers) as part of a campaign to disrupt Moscow’s fuel supply and isolate Crimea; Russia counters that a Ukrainian drone struck a tanker entering the Azov-Black Sea Canal, the vessel empty so no oil spill or casualties. Kyiv has also targeted energy infrastructure, including an oil refinery in Samara, as it escalates strikes on logistics and energy facilities.”
Italy has signed a roughly €1.4 billion contract with Airbus to acquire six A330 MRTT tankers to replace its KC-767 fleet, with the deal reportedly finalized in early 2026 (TED lists Apr 16, 2026; ARMAEREO cites Feb 23, 2026) and a program duration of about eight to ten years. This continues Italy’s long effort to modernize aerial refueling capability, with the MRTT offering both boom and hose‑and‑drogue refueling and transport; it remains unclear whether the standard MRTT or the MRTT+ variant will be used.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards threaten heavy strikes on American centers in the region if Iranian tankers are attacked, as U.S. forces hit two Iranian vessels and mediation efforts continue; Tehran says it’s reviewing a proposed Gulf truce, while a satellite-reported oil slick appears near Kharg Island and clashes persist between Israel and Hezbollah on the Lebanon front.
The U.S. says two Iranian-flagged tankers were struck near the Gulf of Oman for attempting to violate a naval blockade as it pursues a new peace framework; Tehran denounces the strikes as a crude pressure tactic while weighing Washington’s terms to end the war, with a fragile ceasefire in place and ongoing diplomacy over free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, mines, and tolls.
The U.S. military said it struck two Iran-flagged unladen oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman to prevent them from entering an Iranian port in violation of a naval blockade, releasing video of the strikes; the move comes amid renewed clashes with Iran and ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and nuclear talks, with Rubio expecting Iran to respond to a U.S. proposal.
The U.S. Navy says it disabled two Iran-flagged crude oil tankers to prevent docking in Iran as part of a broad maritime blockade, with CENTCOM noting ongoing efforts to curb Iranian shipping and more than 50 vessels intercepted. The broader Iran–U.S.–Israel conflict remains volatile, including exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz and disputes over the ceasefire, even as diplomacy continues—Lebanon–Israel talks in Washington proceed and U.S. officials await Iran’s response to a peace proposal.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and gunfire against passing vessels have stranded hundreds of tankers on both sides of the chokepoint as a U.S.-led blockade remains in effect; crews report traumatic experiences and prolonged waiting, with Hapag-Lloyd’s crisis team unable to free ships anchored near Dubai and Iran warning ships to stay away and warning that violators will be treated as enemies.