New report of attack on Strait of Hormuz shipping fans fears of threats to oil supplies

A shipping attack in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday heightened fears of threats to oil supplies amid ongoing Middle East tensions. The British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO reported a projectile hitting a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, though the extent of damage and crew status remained unknown. This attack occurred following Saudi Arabia's temporary closure of its East-West pipeline after a drone attack, an incident both Baghdad and Riyadh attributed to Iran-backed militias.

The 1,200-km pipeline, which has been transporting 4-5 million barrels of oil per day for six months, now faces additional disruption. The situation escalated after US President Donald Trump attributed the attacks to Iran during his trip to Ireland. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia sought US military assistance in combating Houthis, while Iran remained skeptical of a potential resolution at a Gulf Arab states' meeting in Oman, insisting on meeting certain conditions before reopening the Strait of Hormuz.