- Iran attacked an oil tanker near Oman's coast in the Strait of Hormuz
- The oil tanker was flagged under Palau and hit near Omans Musandam peninsula
- At least four people were injured in the attack, according to Oman's security centre
Iran has attacked an oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz near the coast of Oman, as it retaliates with all its might to avenge the US and Israel's assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Palau-flagged oil tanker was struck off Oman's Musandam Peninsula in an attack that followed drone strikes on the country's Duqm port. At least four were injured in the attack, said Oman's Maritime Security Centre (MSC).
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic route for global oil shipping, described as the world's most sensitive maritime chokepoint. It braced for an alarm yesterday as a radio warning purportedly by Iran's Navy claimed that no ship was allowed to pass the narrow corridor.
The oil tanker, Skylight, was sailing with a 20-person crew, including 15 Indians and five Iranian citizens, according to the Oman MSC. The crew was evacuated after the attack that occurred five nautical miles from Khasab Port in Musandam.
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"The Maritime Security Centre announces that the oil tanker (SKYLIGHT), flying the flag of the Republic of (Palau), was targeted 5 nautical miles north of Khasab Port in the Musandam Governorate, and all crew members of the tanker, consisting of 20 individuals--including 15 holding Indian nationality and 5 of Iranian nationality--have been evacuated," the MSC said in a post that did not mention what hit the tanker.
The attack marks the first time a target has been hit in or near Oman as the Gulf finds itself entangled in a new war following Iran's retaliation to joint US-Israeli strikes.
Four crew members suffered varying injuries and have been taken for treatment, the centre added, citing preliminary information.
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"The Centre confirms that the rescue operations were carried out in coordination among various military, security, and civilian agencies, reflecting the national readiness to handle maritime incidents," it added.
Earlier in the day, a worker was injured after two drone strikes were reported at the Duqm port in Oman.
The Strait Of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic maritime chokepoint that handles roughly a fifth of global oil consumption flows. It is a narrow maritime corridor that connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and ultimately the Indian Ocean. Iran lies to its north. To its south are Oman and the UAE.
Iran shares control of the Strait of Hormuz with the Musandam Peninsula of Oman.
Oil and gas tankers had increasingly been avoiding the corridor after a radio broadcast purportedly declared that "no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz," sparking a fresh concern among shipping companies, insurers, governments, and oil markets.
Iran had warned of closing the Strait of Hormuz last month too if the US or any other country launched a strike.
The country has now vowed a decisive response to yesterday's strikes by the US and Israeli forces that eliminated the Supreme Leader. "The most ferocious offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces will begin any moment now," Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned.
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