A reported attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz has raised fresh concerns about disruptions to global energy supplies, as tensions involving Iran and its regional allies continue to threaten major oil shipping routes.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said on Sunday that a projectile struck a vessel while it was travelling through the strait. A fire broke out after the incident and local authorities evacuated the crew, the agency said.
The report came a day after Saudi Arabia temporarily shut its 1,200 kilometre East West oil pipeline following a drone attack that Saudi and Iraqi officials said originated in Iraq, where Iranian backed militias operate.
The pipeline has carried about 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil per day, equivalent to roughly 4% to 5% of global supply. It has become a crucial alternative route for Saudi oil exports while the Strait of Hormuz has been largely disrupted by the war.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the pipeline attack. Saudi authorities said the incident caused injuries and damage that was still being assessed. Satellite images showed black smoke rising from an area south of Medina.
US President Donald Trump said Iran was probably responsible for the pipeline attack, while Saudi Civil Defence reported that a projectile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement injured two people in the Jazan region and damaged several buildings, including a mosque.
Iranian state media also reported that an Iranian commercial vessel was struck off the country’s southern coast on Sunday, killing one person and injuring three others.
The escalating attacks have pushed energy prices higher, with Brent crude rising above $100 a barrel during the past week. The conflict has also contributed to a sharp increase in US diesel prices, which moved above $6 a gallon.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked Trump for US military assistance against the Houthis during a phone call on Thursday, according to sources familiar with the discussion. Washington has so far declined direct military involvement but has offered intelligence support.
The Houthis have also expanded their activities around the Red Sea. Four Yemeni government sources said the group seized the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el Mandeb Strait on Friday. The Houthis have been attacking Saudi linked shipping and oil facilities since declaring a blockade in July.
Meanwhile, prospects for diplomatic progress between Iran and the United States remain limited. Iranian officials have played down expectations of a breakthrough at a planned meeting with Gulf Arab states in Oman on Monday, where the future of the Strait of Hormuz is expected to be discussed.
Iran has demanded recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz and the right to collect fees from vessels using the waterway, demands rejected by Washington.
The developments have increased concerns over the security of the two major oil shipping corridors in the region, the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb, with prolonged disruption threatening further pressure on global energy markets.
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