The escalation sharpened global economic worries as tensions mount around the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil where shipping has effectively ground to a halt.
Some oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub and crude export terminal, after a drone attack and fire on Saturday, industry and trade sources said.
The suspension comes hours after the US attacked military targets on Iran's Kharg Island oil export terminal and Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by saying that US interests in the UAE - including ports, docks and military locations - were legitimate targets.
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Gulf neighbors, saying it targets U.S. assets even as airports and oil facilities have been hit or threatened. America and Israel have struck thousands of targets across Iran during the war, now in its third week.
Iran says the US attacked from close to Dubai
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told MS NOW that the U.S. attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island with low-range artillery from two locations in the UAE, Ras Al-Khaimah and a place “very close to Dubai,” calling that dangerous and saying Iran “will try to be careful not to attack any populated area” there.
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbors during the war, but it said it was targeting U.S. assets, even as hits or attempts were reported on civilian ones such as airports and oil fields.
On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. “obliterated” military sites on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports. He said oil infrastructure could be next if Tehran continues to interfere with ships’ passage through the Strait of Hormuz, where vessels are backed up and one-fifth of global oil supplies usually transit.
Iran’s parliamentary speaker has said strikes against the country’s oil infrastructure would provoke a new level of retaliation.
As global anxiety soars over oil prices and supplies, Trump said Saturday that he hopes China, France, Japan, South Korea, the U.K. and others send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe.” Britain in response said it was discussing with allies a “range of options” to secure shipping.
Iran repeats threat against US-linked oil assets
On Saturday, Iran’s joint military command reiterated its threat to attack U.S.-linked “oil, economic and energy infrastructures” in the region if the Islamic Republic’s oil infrastructure is hit.
Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency said the Kharg Island strikes caused no damage to oil infrastructure. It said they targeted an air defense facility, a naval base, the airport control tower and an offshore oil company’s helicopter hangar.
U.S. Central Command said it destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers and other military sites.
Israel earlier announced another wave of strikes in Iran targeting infrastructure, and said its air force had hit more than 200 targets in the last 24 hours, including missile launchers, defense systems and weapons production sites.
https://www.france24.com/en/iran-threatens-united-arab-emirate-s-ports-and-docks
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/latest-trump-threatens-irans-oil-044416352.html
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