Kuwaiti oil tanker targeted in ‘Iranian attack’ at Dubai port

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced that the Kuwaiti very large crude carrier (VLCC) Al Salmi was attacked early Tuesday by an Iranian drone while positioned in the anchorage area of Dubai Port in the United Arab Emirates.

It said the tanker came under attack at 12:10 am local time (2010GMT Monday).

The vessel was carrying a full load of crude oil at the time of the incident, it added.

According to a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the attack caused material damage to the hull of the tanker and triggered a fire aboard the vessel.

Kuwait Petroleum warned of a possible oil leak into surrounding waters.

Emergency teams are currently working to contain the fire in coordination with relevant authorities, it said.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said that no casualties were reported and that efforts are underway to assess the extent of the damage and ensure the safety of the tanker and the surrounding environment.

Oil futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex) rose more than 3% following the news and were trading at $106.05 a barrel at 2337GMT.

Brent crude was trading at $115.35 a barrel at 2306GMT, up 2.57%.

Regional escalations have continued to rage since Israel and the US launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and

damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.