Drone Strike Hits Oil Tanker in Iraqi Waters Amid Gulf Attacks

A Panama-flagged oil tanker carrying approximately two million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil was struck by a drone in Iraqi territorial waters on Wednesday, according to Iraqi port officials. The attack, which occurred around 6 a.m. local time, sparked a fire aboard the vessel, identified as the New Andros.

Iraqi port officials reported no casualties among the 22 crew members. The Iraqi oil ministry later confirmed the vessel, chartered by the Iraqi Oil Tankers Company, had been hit by an unknown source, resulting in minor hull damage. The ministry also stated there was no leakage of cargo into the water.

Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that several merchant vessels in the northern Gulf and Gulf of Oman had been hit by disabling fire during overnight military activity. The agency said it could not confirm any casualties or environmental impact from these incidents.

In a related development, UKMTO reported another incident near Port Rashid in the United Arab Emirates, where a vessel was sighted listing at anchor, possibly indicating it had taken on water after an attack by an unknown projectile.

These incidents come amid heightened tensions in the region. Iran stated on Wednesday that it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz, following the U.S. sinking of five Iranian oil tankers. This exchange marks the largest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old conflict.