Anyone with a stake in the region can feel a chill in the air. Barely after midnight on Wednesday, a fresh US blockade against Iranian ports began. Shipments to and from Iran’s shores have stopped.
The US-imposed sanction came after a short 60-day ceasefire that looked to offer some relief after months of animosity between the two governments.
The breathing spell did not last for long as on the eve of the sanction announcement, two UAE-registered oil tankers had been hit by Iran’s cruise missiles while crossing the southern lane of the Strait of Hormuz, within the territorial waters of Oman. One Indian sailor lost his life while eight others were injured in the attack, which is seen as an blatant disregard for international law by the UAE. The United States has 20 naval warships and several hundred warplanes already present in the Middle East, with Tehran vowing to strike back. This has caused a spike in oil prices on fears of the disruption.
Government officials have urged residents to trust information from credible sources and stay vigilant but calm.
