Iran-Israel conflict: Blast strikes oil tanker off southern Iraq as missile launch attempt foiled in Basra

Explosion hits tanker near southern Iraq port

A Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker was hit by an explosion early Thursday while anchored near Iraq’s Khor al-Zubair port in the country’s south, raising fresh concerns over maritime security in the Gulf region.

A security official with Iraq’s navy said the blast occurred in the early hours of the morning while the vessel was docked near the port. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, said a small unidentified boat approached the tanker at around 01:20 a.m. local time, shortly before an explosion was heard near the vessel’s left side.

The tanker, identified as Sonangol Namibe, was anchored at the port awaiting cargo when the incident took place. Sonangol Marine Services, the US representative company for the vessel, said a port ballast tank appeared to be taking on water, suggesting that the hull may have been damaged. Despite this, the ship remained stable and afloat as of the latest update.

There were no casualties among the crew, and the tanker was not carrying cargo at the time. The vessel had been contracted by Iraq’s state oil marketer SOMO and was waiting to load roughly 80,000 metric tonnes of Iraqi fuel oil.

Two Iraqi port security sources told Al Arabiya that the tanker may have been targeted by an Iranian remote-controlled boat carrying explosives. However, authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the explosion, and investigations remain ongoing.

An Iraqi security source also told Al Jazeera that a boat struck the tanker, triggering an oil spill in the port area.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps separately claimed on Thursday that it had struck a US tanker in the northern Gulf and said the vessel caught fire, though it is not immediately clear whether the claim refers to the same incident.

The blast unsettled energy markets, with Brent crude futures rising nearly 4% to about $84.73 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained more than 2% to roughly $78. The Khor al-Zubair area serves as a major transit hub for Iraq’s heavy fuel oil exports, making any disruption closely watched by global traders and shipping companies.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations office has advised ships operating in the area to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.

Missile launch attempt foiled in Basra

In a separate development the same day, Iraq’s state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that security forces had thwarted an attempt to launch missiles from Basra province in southern Iraq.

The report said the missiles were “intended to target a neighboring country”.

Security forces seized a mobile launch platform carrying two missiles that were ready to be fired, preventing what could have escalated tensions further in the region.

Officials have not yet identified those responsible for either the attempted missile launch or the tanker explosion, and investigations into both incidents are continuing.

(With inputs from agencies)