Iran attacked and set fire to an oil tanker off Dubai at dawn on Tuesday, in a new escalation of tensions in the Gulf. The incident comes shortly after US President Donald Trump warned that the United States could strike Iran's energy infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports. The targeted vessel, the Kuwaiti-flagged Al-Salmi, is the latest in a series of attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. In recent weeks, ships have been repeatedly targeted by missiles and explosive drones, air and sea, amid the conflict triggered after the attacks launched by the US and Israel on Iran at the end of February. The conflict, which has been going on for about a month, has spread throughout the Middle East, causing thousands of casualties, disrupting energy supplies and raising fears of a possible major shock to the global economy. The attack on the oil tanker (which can carry about 2 million barrels of oil, worth over 200 million dollars) caused a new sudden increase in prices on international markets. Kuwait Petroleum Corp, the company that owns the ship, confirmed that the incident occurred on Tuesday morning, causing a fire and damage to the hull. Later, the authorities in Dubai announced that the fire was brought under control after a drone attack, stating that there were no oil leaks and no casualties among the crew. Meanwhile, the accelerated rise in oil and fuel prices is beginning to put pressure on household budgets in the United States, becoming a major political issue for Donald Trump and the Republican Party. As November's midterm elections approach, promises to lower energy costs and increase domestic oil and gas production are under increasing pressure.
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