Three merchant ships have been struck in and around the Strait of Hormuz, including a Thai-registered bulk carrier that caught fire after leaving a port in the UAE, forcing crew members to evacuate. The Mayuree Naree was hit by two projectiles of unknown origin on Wednesday while sailing 11 nautical miles north of Oman, ending a four-day lull in attacks. A fire broke out in the engine room, and 20 crew members were evacuated by the Omani navy, with three remaining on the damaged vessel awaiting rescue.
The two other vessels struck were only lightly affected. The ONE Majesty, a Japanese container ship, was hit by an unknown projectile 28 miles north-west of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, sustaining minor damage above the waterline. The Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, a bulk carrier, was struck about 30 miles north-west of Dubai, damaging its hull while at anchor. No serious crew injuries were reported in either incident.
The US military said it had attacked and destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz as part of a broader strategy to neutralise Iran's navy and its ability to threaten international shipping. Admiral Bradley Cooper, commander of US Central Command, said the US had struck 5,500 targets in Iran and more than 60 ships. Iranian civilians were warned to stay away from civilian ports where the military was operating.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said earlier this week it would not allow even one litre of oil to leave the region if US-Israeli attacks continued. Ebrahim Zolfaqari, a spokesperson for Iran's military command, warned: 'Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilised.' Oil prices, which briefly shot up to nearly $120 a barrel on Monday, have since settled at about $90 amid hopes the war will end shortly.
There have been initial discussions about the US navy convoying oil tankers through the strait, but no patrol mission has emerged. France has expressed interest in participating in a convoy once the worst fighting subsides, while the UK has suggested air protection may be more relevant. At a defence department briefing, General Dan Caine addressed the possibility of US navy escorts, saying: 'We're looking at a range of options there, and we'll figure out how to solve problems as they come to us.'
