Iran threatens to tighten blockade on Strait of Hormuz, tanker hit by missiles off Qatar

Iran threatens to close additional shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz used by ships to bypass the blockade, while a tanker sailing in the Persian Gulf, approximately 500 kilometers west of the strait, reported being hit by several missiles near Qatar's shores.

According to the British Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO), a tanker sailing in the Persian Gulf, approximately 500 kilometers west of the Strait of Hormuz, reported Wednesday that it was hit by several missiles. There were casualties in the attack, but their number is still unknown, and the British authority did not state who was responsible for the attack. According to reports, this is the first attack in recent weeks to occur so far from the strait.

Iran announced its intention to soon close shipping lanes in the strait it defines as illegal, mainly the southern route passing near Oman's shores used by vessels seeking to bypass the blockade. 'The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have full control over it,' stated Mohammad-Reza Naqdi, advisor to the Revolutionary Guards commander.

According to Kpler, the average crude oil exports from the region over a seven-day period stood at 18.3 million barrels a day on September 30, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran 'has completely lost control' of the Strait of Hormuz. Revolutionary Guards advisor Majid Mirahmadi countered that on average only ten ships pass through the strait daily, compared to 125 ships a day before the start of the war.

According to data published by Reuters, between September 28 and October 5, at least 12 attacks against oil and gas tankers occurred in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, the highest weekly number since the start of the war. Amid concerns about damage to oil supplies, oil prices rose Wednesday, and the price of a barrel of Brent crude again crossed the $100 mark.