UAE Reports Third Tanker Struck in Hormuz as Crisis Escalates
The United Arab Emirates said another of its tankers was struck in the Strait of Hormuz overnight, the third in under a week, with Gulf states condemning the attacks on commercial shipping and blaming Iran. President Trump escalated his rhetoric, posting an AI-generated image of himself seizing an Iranian tanker. Iran, which has not confirmed responsibility, says it is close to a safe-shipping arrangement brokered by Oman.
A week of attacks has pushed traffic through the channel that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil to near three-month lows, driving up shipping costs and keeping crude elevated. The Gulf Cooperation Council’s condemnation, and its readiness to blame Tehran openly, show how alarmed the region has become, while Mr Trump’s provocations — from talk of declaring the strait “US territory” to mocking images — add heat without a clear strategy. The contradiction at the centre remains: Iran signals interest in an Oman-brokered deal even as ships keep being hit and it declines to confirm or deny the attacks. Any miscalculation in so crowded and tense a waterway could tip the standoff into open conflict. Watch whether the Oman channel yields a deal or the strikes continue.