Iran bombed a fully loaded crude oil tanker anchored off Dubai Port on Monday, causing it to catch fire and damaging its hull, Kuwait News Agency reported, citing the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.
The company also warned of the possibility of an oil spill. The incident appears to be the latest in a series of attacks on commercial ships in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which used explosive air and sea missiles and drones, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) quoted the state-owned Kuwait Oil Company as saying, “The giant Kuwaiti crude oil tanker was subjected to a direct and malicious Iranian attack while it was in the berthing area of Dubai Port in the United Arab Emirates.”Dubai authorities said they were dealing with a drone strike that targeted the oil tanker in local waters, and marine fire crews were working to contain the fire. No injuries were reported, and all 24 crew members were safe, officials said.Iran has not commented on the strike yet.Reuters reported, citing a representative of the Liberian-flagged Express Roma company, that two unidentified projectiles landed in the waters near the container ship about 22 nautical miles (40.7 kilometers) northeast of Ras Tanura at 1352 GMT.
The two incidents occurred about an hour apart, and all crew members were fine, according to British marine risk management company Vanguard.Vanguard added that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had previously claimed responsibility for the attack on the Rome express train on March 11.
