Chinese Oil Tanker Attacked Near Strait of Hormuz

A Chinese-owned oil products tanker carrying Chinese crew members came under attack on Monday off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first such incident involving a vessel from China amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

The Marshall Islands-flagged JV Innovation reported a fire on its deck and sent distress signals to nearby ships. Images showed flames engulfing the vessel, which bore markings indicating Chinese ownership and crew. China's foreign ministry confirmed the presence of Chinese nationals aboard but stated there were no reported casualties. Spokesperson Lin Jian expressed deep concern over vessels affected by the Middle East conflict during a news conference on Friday.

The incident occurred in the Gulf near Mina Saqr as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20 percent of the world's oil supply, remained severely disrupted. The conflict, which began on February 28, has stranded hundreds of ships and around 20,000 seafarers inside the Gulf. Renewed attacks this week, including drones and missiles, have paralyzed maritime passage and prompted shipping companies to classify nearby...