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Gulf energy sites hit as Iran steps up strikes
Two fuel tankers erupted in flames near Iraq's Basra port on Thursday after explosions, disrupting oil exports and sending regional tensions soaring. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for one attack, while fires at storage depots in Bahrain and Oman added to the chaos.
Tankers ablaze, terminals shut
The US-owned Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, was struck after ignoring warnings from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to state media IRNA. A second vessel, the Greek-operated Zefyros, was hit during a ship-to-ship transfer with the Safesea Vishnu, its manager Benetech Shipping confirmed.
Iraqi officials reported 38 crew members rescued and one fatality. Operations at Basra's oil terminals were suspended following the blasts.
Wider assault on Gulf infrastructure
A Chinese container ship off the UAE coast suffered a small fire after being struck by an unidentified projectile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said. Investigations into the cause of the attack on the Zefyros and the container ship are ongoing.
Bahrain accused Iran of targeting fuel tanks near its international airport late Wednesday. Images showed dense smoke billowing from the site before authorities contained the fire. In Oman, firefighters battled a blaze at storage tanks in Salalah's port, while Dubai officials reported a drone crashed into a high-rise, leaving a large hole. Kuwait's state media said drones damaged its airport.
Iran threatens $200 oil, vows retaliation
Iran's military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari warned global markets to prepare for oil at $200 per barrel, blaming regional instability on unspecified actors. "The oil price depends on security you have destabilized," he said. Approximately 20% of the world's oil transits the Strait of Hormuz, where prices briefly spiked to $100 a barrel amid the conflict.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the US and Israel of bombing an Iranian bank, vowing to target financial institutions in response. "Our armed forces will exact retribution," he wrote on X. International banks, including HSBC, Citi, and Standard Chartered, have shuttered Gulf offices and ordered employees to work remotely.
Israel launches 'large-scale' strikes on Iran
The Israel Defense Forces announced a new wave of attacks on Iranian infrastructure Thursday, following US Central Command's assertion that it was degrading Iran's ability to threaten American forces. President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday, "We've hit them harder than virtually any country in history, and we're not finished yet."
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimated 3.2 million Iranians have been displaced internally due to the conflict. Humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called the war a "reckless military adventure" in a BBC interview, citing hundreds of children killed and a strike on a southern Iranian school that killed 168 people, including 110 children. Video analysis suggested a US Tomahawk missile struck a nearby military base.
"Every day that goes by drives more people from their homes and families. More people are dying."
Tom Fletcher, UN Humanitarian Chief
Humanitarian crisis deepens
Fletcher warned of a "looming famine" in sub-Saharan Africa, as the UN struggles to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for aid convoys. Iran's UN Ambassador Amir-Saeid Iravani reported 1,300 deaths and 17,000 injuries in Iran since hostilities began on February 28, following US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader.
Tehran has since expanded its retaliatory strikes beyond military targets to include civilian sites and energy facilities, escalating a conflict that shows no signs of abating.
