Kathmandu, September 13 — Concerns over global oil supplies have intensified after another ship was reportedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy corridor affected by the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its major East-West oil pipeline following a drone attack.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, an organization linked to the British Navy, said it had received a report that a projectile-like object had struck a vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. The extent of the damage to the vessel and the condition of its crew were not immediately known.
A day earlier, Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down its approximately 1,200-kilometer East-West oil pipeline following a drone attack. Saudi Arabia and Iraq have said the drone attack originated from Iraq, where Iran-backed armed groups are active.
The pipeline has become increasingly important as an alternative route for transporting Middle Eastern oil to international markets after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was severely disrupted by the war. The pipeline has been carrying an estimated 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil per day.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the pipeline. Satellite images reportedly showed black smoke rising from the area around the pipeline south of Medina. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said several people were injured and that an assessment of the damage was underway.
U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that Iran may have been involved in the attack. Earlier, Saudi civil defense authorities reported that two people were injured after a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels landed in the Jazan region, damaging a mosque and several other structures.
Growing risks to energy supplies have also pushed oil prices higher. Brent crude has risen above $100 per barrel again over the past week, while the retail price of diesel in the United States has reportedly exceeded $6 per gallon for the first time.
As tensions between the United States and Iran escalate, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also intensified their activities in the Red Sea. This has raised concerns that disruptions could spread to another major maritime route used for global oil transportation.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly spoke by phone with U.S. President Trump on Thursday and requested American military assistance against the Houthis, according to Reuters, citing sources. However, the United States has indicated that it would not immediately intervene directly and would instead provide intelligence support.
Meanwhile, several sources within Yemen's government have claimed that the Houthis have taken control of Perim Island, a strategically important island near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea.
Efforts to resume negotiations between the United States and Iran have also remained stalled after a previous agreement aimed at ending the conflict broke down. An Iranian parliamentary security official said Iran would have no reason to engage in dialogue unless the United States accepted all of its conditions.
Iran has demanded recognition of its control over the Strait of Hormuz and the right to collect fees from ships passing through the waterway. The United States has rejected those demands.
Iran is also expected to participate in a meeting of Gulf Arab states in Oman, where the future of the Strait of Hormuz and regional security are expected to be discussed. However, Iranian officials have indicated that an immediate major agreement is unlikely to emerge from the meeting.
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