An Iranian cargo vessel was struck near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, and Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed new attacks on Saudi Arabia, escalating concerns about the security of regional shipping and oil supplies.
Oil traders were expecting prices to rise again when markets reopen on Monday, following the weekend violence that threatened oil supplies from the world’s biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia.
The Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran’s official state news agency, said an Iranian commercial container ship was hit by an unidentified projectile early Sunday. The attack happened near Hengam Island in the Strait of Hormuz. One crew member was killed, and four others were injured, the news agency said.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile, and a fire broke out on the ship. The UKMTO did not identify the ship or where it was registered.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has vessel crossings dipping into the single digits. That’s down from 130 a day before the war between the United States and Iran began.
Saudi Arabia shut down its East–West pipeline after an aerial attack.
The Iranian-backed Houthis announced on X that they launched an attack Saturday night. They claimed to have launched ballistic missiles and drones against a military base in Saudi Arabia’s Sharurah region.
Reuters contributed to this report.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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