Key keywords: Kuwaiti oil tanker attack, Trump Iran energy facility threat, Red Sea maritime security, Middle East oil supply risk, US-Iran tensions 2024, Gulf of Aden shipping attacks, Iranian proxy military operations, global crude price volatility Multiple confirmed reports from regional maritime authorities confirmed that the Kuwait-flagged crude tanker MV Saffar, carrying 120,000 metric tons of Kuwaiti light crude oil destined for refineries in northwest Europe, was targeted by a drone strike approximately 80 nautical miles off the coast of Oman early Wednesday local time. The vessel’s hull sustained minor structural damage, no crew members were injured, and the tanker has diverted to the nearest port in Fujairah, UAE, for emergency repairs and security assessment. No group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack as of press time, but preliminary intelligence shared by the US Fifth Fleet points to operational links between the strike and Iran-backed armed groups active in the Gulf region. The attack came hours after former US president and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a fiery campaign speech in Toledo, Ohio, where he repeated his earlier threat to destroy Iran’s entire energy infrastructure if Teheran continues to support proxy attacks on commercial shipping in Middle Eastern waterways. “If Iran keeps messing with international shipping and our allies’ energy interests, I will order the complete destruction of every single oil refinery, drilling platform and export terminal they own the second I step back into the Oval Office,” Trump told thousands of supporters, adding that the move would cut off 90% of Iran’s government revenue without requiring US ground troop deployments. The latest incident has further exacerbated already strained maritime security in the region, with data from the International Maritime Organization showing that attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Arabian Gulf have risen by 72% in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Global benchmark Brent crude prices rose 2.3% in afternoon trading on Wednesday following news of the attack, hitting $89.7 per barrel, the highest level in 10 months. More than 40% of the world’s seaborne crude oil exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Arabian Gulf, and shipping industry data shows that nearly 30% of global container lines have already rerouted their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid regional risks, pushing up global shipping costs by an average of 35% since the start of the year. Kuwait’s foreign ministry issued an official statement condemning the attack in the strongest terms, calling on the United Nations Security Council to take immediate action to safeguard the safety of international commercial shipping lanes. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson denied any involvement in the tanker attack, and called Trump’s threat “a blatant act of war provocation” that would be met with “devastating, full-scale retaliation” if implemented. The Biden administration also criticized Trump’s remarks as “unbelievably irresponsible”, warning that any strike on Iran’s energy facilities would trigger a catastrophic regional conflict and send global oil prices soaring to levels that would devastate household budgets across the world.