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Iran launched an attack on a fully loaded crude oil tanker near Dubai early Tuesday, setting it on fire, just hours after US President Donald Trump warned that America would destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure and oil wells if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi was hit in the latest assault on commercial shipping in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel began military operations against Iran on February 28.
The month-long conflict has spread across the Middle East, resulting in thousands of deaths and severely disrupting global energy supplies, raising fears of a major economic downturn worldwide.
Crude oil prices jumped sharply following the attack. The tanker is capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of oil, currently valued at more than $200 million.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, the owner of the vessel, confirmed the strike occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and damage to the hull. Dubai authorities later stated that the fire had been brought under control after a drone attack. There was no oil spill and no crew members were injured.
The sudden rise in oil and fuel prices is now affecting American households and creating political pressure on President Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the November midterm elections. Trump had promised to bring down energy costs and boost US oil and gas production.
On Monday, the national average retail price of gasoline in the US crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in over three years, according to GasBuddy data. Tight global supplies have driven benchmark Brent crude prices up by 56 percent this month — the largest monthly increase on record — pushing it above $113 per barrel.
Escalating attacks and troop movements
Attacks from both sides show no signs of slowing, with growing concerns that the conflict could widen across the region.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels have joined the fighting by launching missiles and drones toward Israel. Turkey reported that a ballistic missile fired from Iran entered its airspace before being intercepted by NATO air defenses.
Israel has conducted multiple missile strikes on what it described as military targets in Tehran and Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut.
Explosions were heard in parts of eastern and western Tehran shortly after Israel issued warnings of impending strikes, Iranian media reported. Residents in Tehran’s eastern Pirouzi district experienced power outages following the blasts, and Iran’s Energy Ministry teams began restoration work.
In a separate incident, a strike on a Shi’ite congregation hall in the northwestern Iranian city of Zanjan killed three people and injured 12.
The Israeli military reported that four of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon — the same area where three Indonesian UN peacekeepers were killed in two separate incidents.
Iran’s military spokesman claimed that recent missile and drone attacks targeted “hideouts” used by US military personnel at five bases in the region and in Israel.
Meanwhile, thousands of soldiers from the US Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East. US officials said the reinforcements would give President Trump more options, including the possibility of a ground operation in Iran, even as diplomatic talks continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is seeking a deal with Iranian leaders before a new deadline of April 6 for reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a critical waterway that normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
Leavitt noted that private discussions with Iran differ from Tehran’s public statements. Iran has acknowledged receiving US peace proposals through intermediaries, including recent talks involving the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the proposals as “unrealistic, illogical, and excessive.”
In response, Trump warned that the US would destroy Iranian power plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island — Iran’s main oil export terminal — if a deal is not reached and the strait remains closed.
However, reports suggest Trump has privately indicated willingness to pause the military campaign even if the strait is not fully reopened immediately, leaving the task for a later stage. This helped ease oil prices and lifted stock markets from their lows as investors hoped for a quicker end to hostilities.
The White House referred questions about the report to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told Al Jazeera that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration is also considering asking Arab nations to help cover the costs of the conflict and has requested an additional $200 billion in war funding from Congress, a request that faces strong opposition.
