Iran Oil Slick Threatens Coast as Hormuz Shipping Crisis Deepens

A major oil spill is affecting the southern coast of Qeshm Island in Iran, as tensions between Israel and the US impact shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The spill, which began on August 13, has already affected 3.2 hectares of coastline and nine hectares of coastal waters, according to reports from the Iranian state news agency IRNA.

Mangrove forests and sea turtle nesting grounds are among the areas impacted by the spill, which is believed to have been driven ashore from the sea, although the exact cause has not yet been determined.