Iran attacks 2 oil tankers near Iraq, killing 1 crew member

Iran reportedly attacked two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf off Iraq, killing at least one crew member and setting both vessels on fire, according to Reuters.

Iraqi officials said the tankers were struck by Iranian boats filled with explosives off the coast of Basrah on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Port officials said that at least one crew member was killed, though the person’s nationality was not immediately known.

One of the vessels was identified by TankerTrackers as the U.S.-owned SafeSea Vishnu, while the other was the Greek-owned Zefyros.

Earlier on Wednesday, at least three other commercial ships were reported hit in the region, according to Reuters.

The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, about 11 nautical miles north of Oman, causing a fire that forced the crew to evacuate, according to its owner, Bangkok-based Precious Shipping.

The Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty sustained minor damage after it was hit by a projectile about 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, while the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth suffered hull damage after being struck about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday that any vessel linked to the United States, Israel or their allies “will be considered a legitimate target,” adding that the U.S. would not be able to keep oil prices down and warning, “Expect oil at $200 per barrel.”

Oil prices jumped after reports of the attacks on the two tankers near Iraq. Crude rose from about $93 a barrel to nearly $98 by the time of writing.