Iran Attacks Shipping Navigation Systems on Oman’s Didamar Island, Sources Say
Iran has attacked ship navigation systems on the Omani island of Didamar in the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter confirmed. This development shows Tehran’s ability to target infrastructure used to restore Gulf oil flows.
The three sources did not provide a damage assessment, and Reuters could not determine independently if any navigation systems were destroyed in the attacks that Tehran had claimed on Tuesday. The US military has been aiding commercial vessels transiting the Strait after Iranian attacks disrupted traffic since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February.
Gulf Oil Exports Recover
Gulf oil exports recovered to over 80% of pre-war levels in September and October, aided by US military-assisted flows through the Strait and higher Saudi exports via the Red Sea port of Yanbu. The attacks come as Gulf oil exports recovered, with bigger tankers, mostly very large crude carriers (VLCCs), shuttle oil from Gulf ports to ship-to-ship transfer locations near Oman’s Sohar and the UAE’s Fujairah.
US Military Aids Commercial Vessels
The US military has been aiding commercial vessels transiting the Strait after Iranian attacks disrupted traffic since the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. The US military’s Central Command and Oman’s media ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Despite concerns over the impact of the attacks, two other shipping sources and an additional maritime security source said that the attacks would likely have limited impact on commercial shipping in the Strait, as other systems were in place elsewhere. One source noted that this was because other systems were in place elsewhere.
Iranian State Media Claims Strikes
Iranian state media said on Tuesday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had carried out strikes destroying “enemy navigation systems” on Didamar island. Reuters confirmed smoke rising from the island in video footage, but it was unclear what was burning. An image from the EU’s satellite program Copernicus also showed thermal activity.
Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London, Maha El Dahan in Dubai, and Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo, writing by Enes Tunagur, editing by Alex Lawler and Andrew Cawthorne.
Original Article: Iran attacks shipping navigation systems on Oman’s Didamar island, sources say | Reuters — Reuters