Economy & Energy
Persian Gulf: tanker hit by two projectiles off Qatar, while Iran’s navy says three more struck mines
UKMTO reports a tanker hit by two unidentified projectiles about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar, while Iran’s navy claims three more tankers hit mines near the Strait of Hormuz.
A tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles in the middle of the Persian Gulf, about 50 nautical miles north of Madinat ash Shamal on Qatar’s northern coast. The British maritime operations centre UKMTO places the attack at 23:20 UTC on Wednesday, November 4, that is, 01:20 Greek time on Thursday. The condition of the crew, the extent of the damage and the possible environmental impact were unconfirmed in the first update, the vessel was not named and no party claimed responsibility.
The location is about 500 kilometres west of the Strait of Hormuz, where, according to Tehran, most of the ship strikes on mines are taking place. There was also an attack in the Gulf on October 30, when the Nakilat LNG carrier Al Mayeda of Qatar was hit by unknown objects. UKMTO had also recorded another attack on a ship off Oman on Tuesday, November 3. The British agency has admitted it struggles to capture the true number of attacks, because most ships refuse to report them.
Iran’s navy speaks of three more tankers on mines
A few hours later, the Public Relations Department of the Iranian army’s navy announced that in the early hours of Thursday an “offending” tanker, sailing in an “unsafe area” east of the Strait, hit a sea mine, caught fire and was immobilised. Like the other ships that struck mines in previous days, she had switched off her tracking and navigation systems, the navy claims. “We announce to shipowners for the umpteenth time that the Strait of Hormuz is unsafe and closed to offending vessels attempting to pass without coordination,” it added, warning that any war against Iran would end in defeat.
In a newer statement, the navy spoke of two more tankers that hit mines and caught fire around noon on Thursday, in the same waters east of the Strait. The ships, it claims, ignored shipping warnings and entered prohibited areas without prior coordination. These claims add to what the Revolutionary Guards announced overnight about two tankers and a tug in flames. In total, the Revolutionary Guards and the army speak of five tankers and a tug that caught fire within 24 hours. No shipping authority has confirmed the incidents.
The US and Iran at the IMO Council
Meanwhile, delegations of the US and Iran took part in a session of the Council, the executive body of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to discuss freedom of navigation.
Since February, when the war began, Tehran has drastically restricted passage through the Strait, through which in peacetime about one fifth of world oil consumption passes. It strikes ships which, according to it, pass without permission, while the US has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and is helping tankers cross the Strait.