Gulf Commercial Ships Halted by Fire Amid Regional Tensions
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Wednesday that several commercial vessels in the northern Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman were forced to stop after coming under fire during military activity in the region. The authority clarified that it has not yet been able to confirm any casualties or environmental damage resulting from the incident. This incident occurs amid a slowdown in navigation through the Strait of Hormuz this week, following Iranian statements threatening retaliation for any new American attacks. In the same context, data from "Kepler" on Tuesday revealed a decrease in the number of cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to 7 on Monday, down from 8 vessels the previous day. Tehran had previously threatened to target energy infrastructure across the region, including U.S. oil and gas interests. In a related development, forecasts for Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices for December 2026 and 2027 have risen, amidst speculation of continued shipping disruptions in the Middle East until next year. Conversely, traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, another key waterway for shipping, recorded a notable increase. "Kepler" data indicated that a total of 29 cargo vessels passed through Bab al-Mandab on Monday, an increase from 17 vessels the day before. It is worth noting that some vessels might traverse both straits with their transponders turned off, thereby excluding them from official statistics.
