Hormuz attacks force four tankers to retreat

Shafaq News- Middle East

Four oil and gas tankers turned back from the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after renewed attacks damaged Qatari and Saudi vessels near the strategic waterway, ship-tracking data showed.

The tankers reversed course after Qatar’s liquefied natural gas tanker Al-Rekayyat and the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker Wadiyan were damaged near the strait on Tuesday by alleged Iranian missiles. Initial local reports detailed that Al-Rekayyat was hit on its port side while transiting Hormuz, triggering a fire near the engine room, while Wadiyan was damaged off Oman’s coast.

Qatar and Saudi Arabia held Iran responsible for the attacks, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry stated that ships using uncoordinated routes or tampering with tracking systems expose themselves to risk and obstruct Tehran’s efforts to facilitate safe passage through the strait.

In response, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that American forces struck more than 80 targets in Iran. The escalation pushed oil prices up by more than 5% amid fears of disruption in the strait, which remains a key route for Gulf oil and gas exports to global markets.