Strait of Hormuz Emergency! 4 Dead, 3 Seriously Injured! Iran Launches Night Missile Attack on U.S. Aircraft Carrier! Crude Oil Prices Surge

Latest news from the Strait of Hormuz.

This morning, according to Xinhua News Agency, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Domingos, stated on the 6th that an attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz caused at least 4 sailors to die and 3 to be seriously injured.

Additionally, Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shakarji said on the evening of the 6th local time: “We reaffirm the security of the Strait of Hormuz and confirm our control over it, but we will not close it.”

Due to concerns over ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions to oil supply, international oil prices surged sharply on the 6th. WTI crude oil futures for April rose by 12.21%, and Brent crude oil futures for May increased by 8.52%. Market analysts pointed out that severe conflicts in the Middle East are disrupting global oil supplies, with a daily supply gap of 7 to 11 million barrels.

Regarding the conflict, according to CCTV News, on March 6, the seventh day of U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran. On the evening of the 6th local time, Iran’s Army Public Relations announced that that night, Iran’s Army and Navy missile systems launched a shore-to-sea missile at the U.S. aircraft carrier “Lincoln.”

Ship Attack in the Strait of Hormuz

On March 7, Xinhua News Agency reported that Secretary-General Domingos stated on the 6th that an attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz resulted in at least 4 sailors dead and 3 seriously injured. He expressed shock and sorrow over the incident.

The IMO issued a statement indicating that two sailors had previously died in earlier incidents, and one was missing. Currently, about 20,000 sailors are stranded in the Gulf region, with increasing safety risks and immense psychological pressure.

“Seafarers must never become targets of attacks,” Domingos said in the statement. “This situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. All parties and stakeholders have an obligation under international law to take necessary measures to protect seafarers, including safeguarding their rights and well-being, and maintaining freedom of navigation.”

The statement did not disclose specific details of the ship attack.

According to professional media citing maritime security companies on the 6th, a tugboat flying the UAE flag was attacked while heading to assist a container ship that had been previously attacked. The container ship was hit by a missile on the 4th, lost power, and the crew abandoned ship.

Due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and disruptions to oil supply, international oil prices continued to surge sharply on the 6th. The settlement prices of international crude futures reached their highest since October 2023. WTI April futures rose by 12.21% to $90.9 per barrel, up 35.6% this week; Brent May futures increased by 8.52%, up 27.88% this week. U.S. and Brent crude oil recorded their largest weekly gains since records began in 1983 and 1991, respectively.

The United Maritime Information Center (JMIC) based in Bahrain reported that shipping through the strait has almost come to a complete halt, according to a report released earlier on Friday. Only two commercial ships have passed through the strait in the past 24 hours, both cargo ships, not oil tankers.

Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Al-Kaabi, said in an interview on the 6th that if oil tankers cannot pass through the Strait of Hormuz, oil exports from Gulf countries could halt within days, and oil prices could reach $150 per barrel in the coming weeks.

U.S. President Trump claimed on social media Friday that “no agreement will be reached with Iran unless it unconditionally surrenders.”

Subsequently, Trump hinted to U.S. media that he was not worried about rising gasoline prices, saying “it’s only temporary, and prices will soon drop sharply,” and claimed to have dealt a heavy blow to the Iranian Navy, sinking 25 vessels, “settling” the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

On the same day, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry told the media that the U.S. Navy would “begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible,” but only if current military resources are prioritized for suppressing Iran’s counterattack capabilities.

Iran: Launches missiles at U.S. aircraft carrier

On March 7, according to CCTV News, Iran’s Army Public Relations announced that on the evening of the 6th, Iran’s Army and Navy missile systems launched a shore-to-sea missile at the U.S. aircraft carrier “Lincoln.”

Additionally, Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shakarji said on the evening of the 6th: “We reaffirm the security of the Strait of Hormuz and confirm our control over it, but we will not close it.” Shakarji also stated that ships related to Israel or the U.S. are not allowed passage.

In the early hours of March 7, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the launch of Operation “True Commitment 4,” with three missiles hitting their intended targets in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel launched a new round of attacks on Iran. On the afternoon of the 6th, the Israel Defense Forces announced that the Israeli Air Force had conducted new airstrikes on targets in Tehran and Isfahan. Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that on the same afternoon, the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on residential areas in Iram Province, destroying multiple homes. That evening, explosions were heard in the suburbs of Natanz, Iran.

The Israeli military reported on the 6th that morning, the Israeli Air Force destroyed the underground bunker of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Khamenei. The IDF stated that about 50 Israeli fighter jets dropped approximately 100 bombs on the bunker. The military said the bunker was used by Khamenei as an emergency command and shelter, and after his assassination, the area continued to be used by senior Iranian officials.

On March 6, U.S. officials stated that the USS Ford had left the Eastern Mediterranean, crossed the Suez Canal, and was now operating in the Red Sea.

According to CCTV News, recent reports suggest that the U.S. and Israel are planning to support Kurdish armed forces in Iran and Iraq to conduct ground operations aimed at destabilizing the Iranian regime.

Sources said that the CIA had begun supporting Kurdish forces months before the start of this conflict, attempting to create unrest within Iran, incite anti-government forces, and promote regime change.

Additionally, on the 6th, U.S. officials revealed that an Israeli senior military officer said that Israel was conducting airstrikes against military and police targets in Kurdish areas near Iraq in northwest Iran to clear obstacles for Kurdish armed groups.

(Article source: Securities Times)