The Strait of Hormuz Has Become a Menace to Tankers
Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched waves of coordinated strikes at the weekend against Tehran and other areas in the Shiite country. The Strait of Hormuz has become a dangerous chokepoint for vessels passing through, handling around a fifth of global oil trade and significant LNG exports from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. About 20 percent of daily global oil consumption — around 20 million barrels — traverses this corridor.
Attack on Tankers
Iran also attacked an anchored tanker passing through it ‘illegally’. This attack followed the large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Saturday (28 February) local time, which killed senior figures and officials in Tehran, including the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf states hosting US military assets, further heightening tensions across the Middle East.
Launching Drones
The IRGC, in a statement, said its Navy had launched a ‘firm and directed’ strike by firing 26 offensive drones and five ballistic missiles at fixed and moving targets of the US military in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
The IRGC termed these attacks as retaliation for the US-Israel assault and the killing of Khamenei, which it described as a grave breach of Iran’s sovereignty.
According to the IRGC statement, the US base at Arifjan in Kuwait was struck by 12 drones in two phases, while the US Military Command and Control Centre at Al-Manhead in the United Arab Emirates was hit by six drones and five ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, the US Navy facilities in Bahrain, the IRGC said, were struck and destroyed by six drones.
Iranian authorities, in a statement, reported at least 555 people killed in the air strikes by the US-Israel coalition. Tehran claimed that at least 560 US soldiers were killed or injured in the series of retaliation strikes.
Tanker on Fire
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) attacked a fuel tanker belonging to a US ally in the Strait of Hormuz waters, triggering a fire on the vessel. Tehran accused the tanker of attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz ‘illegally’.
The IRGC statement, reported by Iran’s local media outlet Press TV and by Turkey’s Anadolu Agency on Tuesday (3 March 2026), said the tanker Athens Nova, owned by a US ally, was hit by two Iranian combat drones.
The IRGC said in a statement on Monday (2 March) that the tanker was still burning in the Strait of Hormuz.