Iran Strikes Kuwaiti Oil Tanker Near Dubai Amid Escalating Middle East Conflict

An Iranian attack ignited a fully loaded crude oil tanker, the Kuwait-flagged Al-Salmi, off the coast of Dubai on Monday. The vessel, capable of carrying about 2 million barrels of oil valued at over $200 million, was targeted in what authorities described as a drone strike.

Dubai officials confirmed they contained the blaze with no injuries reported, while Kuwait Petroleum Corp assessed potential damage and risks of an oil spill. The incident triggered a brief surge in crude prices, pushing U.S. gasoline above $4 per gallon for the first time in years and straining American households ahead of midterm elections.

This assault follows a series of attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28. The conflict has spread, with Iran-backed Houthis targeting Israel, a Iranian missile entering Turkish airspace, and Israeli retaliation in Tehran and Beirut. Three UN peacekeepers died in Lebanon.

U.S. forces from the 82nd Airborne Division are deploying to the region, expanding options as talks with Iran progress toward an April 6 deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, vital for one-fifth of global oil trade. Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island if no deal is reached, while considering Arab funding for the war and seeking $200 billion in Congress.

Iran dismissed U.S. peace proposals as unrealistic, vowing to defend against aggression.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)