Lead
The threat to ships carrying oil in the Middle East is at its worst since the Iran war started, analysts have said, after a spate of attacks on another key route in the region. The warning comes as Iraq's primary deep-water port of Umm Qasr has come to a standstill, and the number of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply.
Coverage comparison
Two reports have detailed the escalating risks to oil shipping in the region. The BBC, citing experts, reported that a recent wave of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea—an alternative waterway used by some tankers since Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz—has heightened the dangers. Africa News focused on the impact on Iraq, describing empty docking sites and cargo areas at Umm Qasr, the country's only deep-water gateway.
The BBC quoted Matthew Wright, an analyst at ship-tracking firm Kpler, as saying: "In terms of threat to the trade of crude, we're at the worst period that we've been in since this crisis began." Africa News attributed the disruption at Umm Qasr to the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran at the end of February.
Key claims
According to the BBC, the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz was just eight on Sunday and 11 on Saturday, compared with more than 100 per day before the war began, based on Kpler data. The outlet noted that before the conflict, about 20% of the world's oil and gas passed through the strait. A temporary peace deal with the US struck in early June led to numbers rising again, but the resumption of strikes between the two countries roughly a month later significantly reduced traffic, the BBC reported. Many ships have been "going dark" when crossing the strait, turning off their transponders to avoid detection.
Africa News reported that the blockade by Tehran of the Strait of Hormuz has prevented commercial vessels from reaching Umm Qasr, which lies about 60 kilometres south of the Basrah oil fields where almost all of Iraq's crude is produced and exported. With oil revenue accounting for roughly 90 per cent of Iraq's budget, the slowdown has dealt a heavy blow to its economy, the outlet said. A significant share of imported goods, including grain and sugar, also come through the port.
Both outlets highlighted the threat to the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Africa News reported that Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen last week threatened a blockade of Saudi shipping there and fired on at least one Saudi tanker, setting it alight. The BBC noted that Yemen's Houthi fighters have launched a recent spate of attacks on Saudi tankers using an alternative shipping lane in the Red Sea, between the kingdom and west Africa. The Iranian-backed Houthi militia announced what it called a blockade on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea ports on 20 July, and the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has reported several attacks on ships in the past week, according to the BBC.
Perspectives
Iranian denial: The BBC reported that Iran has denied Donald Trump's claim that it was in talks with the US over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but said it was speaking to Oman about securing the shipping lane.
Analyst assessment: Matthew Wright of Kpler, speaking to the BBC, characterised the current period as the worst for the trade of crude since the crisis began, pointing to the combined pressures on both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.