Dubai: A tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz off Oman was set ablaze early on Tuesday after a projectile struck the vessel, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) said.
The UKMTO said the strike occurred near Limah, Oman, as the tanker was moving south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman. The projectile hit the ship’s port side, AP reported. Authorities reported no immediate environmental damage and said investigators were examining the incident.
Regional Flashpoint
The attack is the latest in a series of incidents targeting ships in the strategically vital waterway, through which a substantial portion of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass. Attention immediately turned to Iran, which Western and Gulf officials have accused of previous assaults on vessels that used a route close to Omani shores — even after Tehran warned that only its approved corridors were safe.
Iran’s joint military command last Thursday warned that all oil tankers must use routes sanctioned by Tehran and said: “Any failure to comply, deviation from the designated route, or disregard for the navigation protocols of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with an immediate and forceful response from the armed forces, endangering the security of the violating vessels.” The statement
also warned that US meddling in the strait “will be met with a rapid and decisive reaction.”
Diplomatic Stakes
The strike complicates ongoing diplomatic efforts. The United States has sought to resume talks with Iran to fully reopen the strait, roll back Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and achieve a lasting end to the war that began Feb. 28. Previous attacks on ships in the area have prompted US retaliatory strikes and subsequent Iranian attacks on Gulf Arab states, raising fears of a wider confrontation.
Talks appear to be on hold until after funeral rites for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the conflict. State television showed crowds heading to Jamkaran Mosque near Qom on Tuesday for mourning ceremonies. Authorities flew Khamenei’s body overnight to Qom, and officials have curtailed streets, airspace and daily activities for several days of mourning that will conclude with burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Mourners In Qom
Iranian broadcasters showed images of large numbers of people walking toward Jamkaran Mosque. Displayed banners included portraits of Khamenei and his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been named Iran’s new supreme leader. Mojtaba has not appeared publicly at the ceremonies. He is believed to be sheltering from public view after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.
Past Hostilities
At the height of fighting earlier this year, Israel targeted senior Iranian figures during public appearances to locate them, and has threatened to kill Mojtaba Khamenei. The recent security clampdown in Iran reflects the heightened tensions surrounding the leadership transition.
Authorities have closed roads, restricted airspace and curtailed everyday life during mourning that began Saturday and will end Thursday with Khamenei’s burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. He was 86.