One individual has reportedly lost their life, and two oil tankers are ablaze in the Persian Gulf following what officials suspect to be an Iranian offensive against the vessels.
Explosive-laden Iranian boats collided with the tankers on Wednesday, as indicated by early findings from an Iraqi-led inquiry into the incident.
The ships allegedly transported up to 400,000 barrels of Iraqi oil, according to TankerTrackers.com.
Farhan al Fartousi, head of the Iraqi Ports Company, informed CNN that all 38 foreign crew members aboard the tankers had to be evacuated after the explosions.
Online footage captures massive flames engulfing the ships and spreading across the surrounding waters, signaling oil leaks from the tankers, which were anchored side by side at the time of the strike, CNN reported.
The vessels in question are the Maltese-flagged Zefyros and the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu.
Footage shows the exact most of moment Safesea Vishnu, US-owned tanker, taking a direct hit last night in the northern Persian Gulf. Reports confirm it was in Iraqi waters near Basra, suspected Iranian boats, one Indian crew lost his life, rest safe but ships still burning.… pic.twitter.com/OEACriq0s2
— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) March 12, 2026
The Safesea Vishnu is owned by U.S.-based Safesea Transport Inc., while the Zefyros is owned by a Greek shipping firm.
The attack is believed to have happened within Iraq’s territorial waters near the Al Faw port outside Basra, as reported by Al Jazeera.
This strike occurs as global energy markets remain tense amid rising hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.
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Oil prices have dramatically increased this week due to concerns that escalating conflict could impact global supply.
Approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil transits through the Strait of Hormuz daily, a crucial shipping route situated about 600 miles south of the recent tanker attack.
Shipping traffic through the strait has mostly halted amidst Operation Epic Fury and Iranian retaliatory strikes, compelling some producers to reduce their exports.
Iran’s leadership has threatened to obstruct oil tankers traversing the narrow waterway.
In response, the U.S. military conducted operations earlier this week that resulted in the destruction of over a dozen Iranian vessels thought to be laying naval mines in the area.
President Trump has suggested the potential use of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to stabilize fuel prices should the disruption escalate.
Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has indicated that its 31 member nations are gearing up to release a historic 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves to counteract the supply shock.
