Iranian Drone Sets Oil Tanker Ablaze Off Dubai Coast
A Kuwait-flagged oil tanker was set ablaze off Dubai's coast after an Iranian drone attack, despite warnings from President Donald Trump that the US would obliterate Iran's energy plants if a peace deal is not reached.
The Al-Salmi tanker, which was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil worth over $200 million at current prices, had its hull damaged in the attack, according to Kuwait Petroleum Corp.
The vessel was heading to Qingdao in China when it came under attack, with no oil leak or injuries reported. The crew managed to bring the fire under control after the drone strike, authorities said.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy supplies, since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
Trump has threatened to obliterate power plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island, from where Iran exports much of its oil, if a deal is not reached soon and the strait remains closed.