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A MAJOR escalation in the Gulf crisis unfolded after Iran struck and set ablaze a fully laden crude oil tanker off Dubai, heightening fears over energy security and prompting renewed threats from the United States.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi, carrying up to two million barrels of crude oil, was hit in an attack involving drones, according to officials, marking the latest in a series of assaults on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of war on 28 February.
The vessel sustained hull damage and caught fire, though no casualties were reported. Authorities later confirmed the blaze had been brought under control.
The incident comes as US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning that Washington would launch sweeping strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure if Tehran fails to reopen the strategically vital waterway.
The attack has further intensified a conflict that has already spread across the Middle East, drawing in multiple actors and inflicting heavy casualties, while severely disrupting global energy supplies.
Oil prices surged in immediate response, reflecting market fears over the security of a route that typically carries a significant share of the world’s crude and liquefied natural gas.
The rising cost of fuel is beginning to weigh on domestic political dynamics in the United States, with petrol prices climbing above four dollars a gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to industry data.
The surge presents a challenge for the administration, which had pledged to reduce energy costs.
Meanwhile, hostilities across the region show no sign of abating. Iran-aligned Houthi forces have launched missiles and drones towards Israel, while Turkey reported that a ballistic missile fired from Iran entered its airspace before being intercepted by NATO defences.
Israel has intensified its campaign, carrying out strikes on what it described as military infrastructure in Tehran and on positions linked to Hezbollah in Beirut.
Explosions were reported across parts of the Iranian capital, with power outages affecting eastern districts as authorities worked to restore electricity.
The Israeli military also confirmed the deaths of four soldiers in southern Lebanon, an area that has seen repeated clashes and where United Nations peacekeepers have recently been killed.
Iran, for its part, said its latest wave of missile and drone attacks targeted locations used by US forces and Israeli positions in the region.
A military spokesman stated on state television that the strikes included “hideouts” of American personnel at multiple bases.
The widening confrontation is raising alarm among international organisations, with warnings that the conflict could derail global economic recovery and deepen instability in already volatile energy markets. - March 31, 2026
