The Omani port of Duqm was targeted by several drones on Tuesday, with one of them hitting a fuel tank, according to the state news agency Oman Observer, citing security sources. The damage to the tanker was brought under control without any casualties, and the authorities condemned the attack, noting that “necessary measures” will be taken to deal with the incident. The port was previously targeted on Sunday, with drones attacking a mobile worker accommodation unit and injuring one of the workers, without causing material damage to any of the fuel tanks.
European gas prices soar 33%
European natural gas prices experienced a surge on Tuesday, driven by a joint combination of factors stemming from escalating tensions in the Middle East. Following the start of US and Israeli attacks in the region, the Strait of Hormuz was formally closed and China issued urgent safety recommendations for vessels, while Qatari LNG exports remained completely halted. The market reacted to these risks, which threaten a critical artery for global energy trade.
For April contracts, Dutch TTF natural gas futures surged 29.9% to €57.840 per megawatt hour, at 8:54 am CET. For the same month’s deliveries, the UK natural gas futures skyrocketed by 33.92% to 147.430 pence per therm at 8:54 am CET. am CET.
NN: European gas reserves are below 25% of capacity depleted because of winter gas heating season. These are critical low. The scramble for supplies is on. Europe has vast untapped gas supplies. Thank you greeniewinnies fagots woke asshioles commie Iran and Hamas supporters.
They are having bad times since their evil agenda is literally blowing up in their faces…
More to come…
IRGC declares Strait of Hormuz closed
Adhviser to the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ebrahim Jabari, declared on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz has been officially closed amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.
NN: Told you so.. buy more oil
Fitch: Strait of Hormuz likely to be closed during Iran crisis
Fitch Ratings shared in its latest release posted on Monday that it expects the Strait of Hormuz to be closed for the duration of the Middle East conflict, due to “direct physical blockage, [and] vessels being unable to secure insurance or other threat-related factors.” “Saudi Arabia and the UAE have pipelines that can allow much of their production to bypass the Strait and all key oil exporters have oil in storage away from the region. There is still likely to be some near-term hit to oil and gas activity, particularly for Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, which lack supply routes that can bypass Hormuz, and Iraq, whose exports are heavily reliant on the route,” Fitch detailed. The conflict is also expected to have near-term effect on non-oil economic activity, including air travel, consumer activity, tourism etc. Fitch noted, however, that the effect on economic growth should be “temporary.”
NN: Your damn straight the straights will be closed
Oil skyrockets 12% as Iran war intensifies
Oil prices jumped sharply in early trading on Monday as the war involving Iran escalated and traders priced in higher risks to regional supply and shipping. The surge comes as traders focus on the risk of disruption around the Strait of Hormuz and other key routes, where even the threat of delays can tighten supply expectations. Brent’s jump is its biggest in four years, since the start of the Ukraine war.
West Texas Intermediate for April settlement was last at $74.38, up $7.36 or 10.98%. Brent for May rose to $81.04, up $8.56 or 11.81%, after briefly hitting $81.89.
Saudi confirms Ras Tanura refinery damaged
Saudi Arabia confirmed on Monday that the Ras Tanura refinery suffered minor damage from debris after two drones were intercepted in the area. There were no casualties, according to the Defense Ministry. Saudi Arabia’s state news outlet, the Saudi Press Agency, said that some operational units at the refinery were shut down as a precaution, but that the measure will not negatively impact oil supply to local markets.
S. Arabia to Iran: Will do what’s necessary to protect ourselves….Kuwait experiencing limited power outage…. Crown Plaza hotel in Bahrain hit, no casualties…….Explosions reported in Riyadh….. Drones hit Omani commercial port…… UAE says 3 killed, 58 injured in Iranian attacks…..Iran attacks injure 12 in Kuwait
The Saudi Arabian authorities warned Iran on Sunday that the country “will do what is needed to protect [itself]” if the strikes on its territory continue. However, the kingdom provided no details on what its retaliation against Iran might look like. The Saudi Foreign Ministry previously denounced Iran’s actions, saying that the strike came “despite the Iranian authorities’ knowledge that the Kingdom had affirmed it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to target Iran.”
Kuwait experiencing limited power outage
Kuwait is experiencing some power outages on Sunday amid the recent strikes carried out by Iran. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity shared in a statement that, as a result of drone debris falling on power lines, some parts of the country are going through a “limited power outage.” It was further noted that emergency teams are on the field, assessing the damage and trying to fix the issue.
Crown Plaza hotel in Bahrain hit, no casualties
The Crown Plaza hotel in Bahrain’s capital city of Manama was hit in an Iranian attack on Sunday, the country’s Interior Ministry said in a short statement. The strike caused material damage to the hotel, but there were no casualties, the ministry added. Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Bahrain said it was tracking the incident. Additionally, it warned US citizens that hotels may be targets of future attacks, advising them to avoid hotels in Manama
Explosions reported in Riyadh
Residents in the eastern part of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, reported hearing several loud explosionson Sunday, according to Agence France‑Presse (AFP). AFP said its correspondents in the area confirmed hearing the blasts. The news comes a day after Riyadh was struck by Iranian attacks, marking this a new wave of explosions in the city.
Drones hit Omani commercial port
Two drones struck the Omani port of Duqm on Sunday, injuring one worker, Oman News Agency reported. One drone hit a mobile worker accommodation unit, while the debris from the second drone fell near the fuel tanks without causing any material damage, the agency said. Prior to the attack, the United States Embassy in Oman instructed staff and citizens to shelter in place today due to “ongoing activity” outside the capital Muscat. This was the first strike in Oman, a key mediator in negotiations between the US and Iran, since Iran had launched retaliatory attacks targeting countries that host US military bases across the Middle East.
UAE says 3 killed, 58 injured in Iranian attacks
The United Arab Emirates Defense Ministry said on Sunday that at least three people were killed and 58 were lightly wounded in Iranian strikes over the weekend. The three people killed were Pakistani, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi nationals, according to the statement. The ministry also said that its forces detected 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152, while 13 fell into the sea. The UAE’s military intercepted two cruise missiles. A total of “541 Iranian drones were detected, 506 of which were intercepted and destroyed, while 35 fell within the country’s territory,” the ministry concluded.
Iran attacks injure 12 in Kuwait
Kuwait’s Health Ministry said at least 12 people suffered injuries after airstrikes in the region, according to the state news agency KUNA. Authorities reportedly described the victims’ injuries as minor, including a hand wound and light cuts to the face and neck. This comes after Kuwait reported that a drone struck Kuwait International Airport.
NN: Iran’s new leadership… the mot radical miscalculated again. They decided to attack the gulf states. They were hoping this would force the US to back down fearing a wider conflict. They were shocked as the gulf states aligned themselves and are attacking Iran.
Ships Avoid Hormuz as Iran Media Says It’s Practically Shut
Oil and gas tankers are increasingly avoiding the Hormuz shipping strait that links the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the open seas after the US and Israel bombed Iran, with Iranian media saying the waterway is “practically closed.” Ships reported hearing a radio broadcast purporting to come from the Iranian navy announcing that transit through the waterway was banned. There’s been no formal announcement from Tehran about the status of the strait, which is crucial for the flow of oil and gas. Some tankers have turned around as they near Hormuz, and at least one shipowner decided not to send a vessel into the strait as a result of the broadcast, according to a person familiar with the matter. Still, some ships appear to be continuing their journeys through, according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. The semi-official Tasnim news agency, describing the waterway as effectively shut, said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned ships that transiting Hormuz is not safe. This is the first signs of disruption to commodity markets from the US decision to attack Iran, though it’s unclear how long it will last. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important focal points at times of tension with Iran, because a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas goes through it each day. Tehran has in the past threatened to block it, but has never fully closed it. Traffic had already slowed significantly in the wake of the attacks, and Bloomberg reported earlier that tankers were piling up both inside and outside of the entrance into the strait. The US issued a warning to shipping that vessels in the region should stay 30 nautical miles away from its military assets. Japanese giant Nippon Yusen KK earlier told its fleet not to navigate Hormuz, while Greece told its vast merchant fleet to reassess passage, according to a circular seen by Bloomberg. One owner had said they interpreted the US advisory as effectively closing the waterway. The warning from Greece’s shipping ministry also told ships to be ready to use “conventional” navigation methods that don’t use electronics, citing the risk of interference while sailing in the region. A prolonged disruption would send shockwaves through the oil market. Futures markets are closed on Saturday and Sunday, giving reduced insight into how traders are really pricing risk.
However, a retail trading product, run by IG Group Ltd., was pricing West Texas Intermediate as high as $75.33 at one point, a gain of as much as 12% from Friday’s close.
Oil tankers are coming to a stop on both sides of Hormuz, with three vessels halting journeys out of the Persian Gulf and a small flotilla of at least 8 tankers building up over the past two weeks outside the Gulf of Oman. Others are aborting their voyages part way through the waterway. At least three gas tankers going to or from Qatar have paused voyages to avoid the waterway, according to ship-tracking data. Qatar is the world’s second-largest LNG exporter, making up 20% of supply last year, and the country’s shipments must pass through the Strait to reach buyers in Asia and Europe. Some shipowners were considering canceling already-fixed voyages into the Middle East, shipbrokers said, citing a war clause that gives them the right to do so should hostilities break out between a list of countries including the US and Iran. This could tighten the supply of vessels in the region, further supporting high freight rates that have recently soared to the highest level in years.
NN: In the grey market they are quoting Brent a little north of $80.00 a barrel
Israel, US preparing for ‘at least a week’ of joint strikes on Iran……. US forces are locked in air-defense battles
The officials also said that the strike at a US Navy base in Bahrain left no injuries, with the Iranian missile only hitting an empty building. US-Israeli joint strikes on Iran are expected to continue for at least a week, Israeli officials told Walla on Saturday afternoon. A report by Fox News also stated that US officials expect the event to last several days, rather than hours. The officials also said that the strike at a US Navy base in Bahrain left no injuries, with the Iranian missile only hitting an empty building. This comes after the US and Israel launched a joint strike on Iran in the early hours of Saturday morning. Iranian state media reported explosions in Tehran, Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj. Meanwhile, sirens sounded across the whole of Israel as Iran bombarded the Jewish State, along with several other Middle Eastern countries, in a counterattack. So far, no Israeli citizens have been confirmed to have been killed.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cut off from contact, assumed to be injured
Notably, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been cut off from contact and is rumored to be injured. Israeli officials told Walla that they were uncertain of his status as of Saturday afternoon. No official confirmation has been received by Israeli, American, or Iranian sources
US forces are locked in air-defense battles
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US forces are actively engaged in air defense operations in the Middle East, an official said.
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The operations involve American air, land, and sea forces.
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It comes as Iran has launched retaliatory missiles following US and Israeli strikes.
American forces are actively engaged in air defense operations in the Middle East, a US official told Business Insider, as Iran launches retaliatory missile strikes at countries across the region. The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the military developments, said that US land, air, and naval forces are participating in the air defense operations, including for American bases in the Middle East. Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency said that the IRGC, or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, launched missiles at US bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. All four countries host major US military installations. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is the largest in the Middle East, while Naval Support Activity Bahrain is home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. Kuwait and the UAE also host important bases for ground and air forces. Qatar’s defense ministry said it shot down Iranian missiles targeting the country in multiple waves. Bahrain’s state news agency said that 5th Fleet was attacked. Rocket shrapnel killed at least one person in the UAE, the country said, adding that it intercepted several incoming munitions. The Israeli military said it detected multiple waves of missiles fired from Iran, with air defense systems working to intercept them. Iran carried out retaliatory strikes against US military sites in Bahrain. The US embassies in several Middle East countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan, issued warnings earlier that missile strikes were imminent, warning American citizens to shelter in place. The US has surged military forces into the region in recent weeks, assembling a substantial presence capable of conducting air defense operations. More than a dozen US warships, including two aircraft carriers, are operating in the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. American fighter jets and air defense batteries are also operating in the region.
Israel claims killing of Khamenei, Pezeshkian
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with other top Iranian officials, are said to have been killed in an Israeli strike, the Israeli Channel 12 reported on Saturday, citing military sources.
The information has not been officially confirmed yet.
The Times of Israel reported that an Israeli official confirmed the killings. The outlet claimed “very high success” of the Israeli military in eliminating Iran’s top leadership. An earlier report of the Iranian media confirmed that the presidential building was targeted in a strike.