The Strait of Hormuz, the planet's most sensitive energy corridor, recorded the first confirmed attack on a vessel this Sunday since the escalation began between the United States, Israel, and Iran. However, the incident occurs within the framework of warnings issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which, after Saturday's bombings and regional retaliations, announced via radio restrictions on passage that, in practice, amount to a closure of the strait to international navigation. Although Tehran avoided a formal diplomatic blockade, the effect at sea was immediate: a sharp drop in traffic, ships detained in the Gulf of Oman and reversing course, and a surge in perceived risk that makes insuring cargo and crews more expensive—or directly impossible. Major shipping companies, including the Danish Maersk, announced the suspension of crossings through the Strait of Hormuz 'until further notice,' citing the deterioration of the security situation and prioritizing the integrity of crews and cargo. According to Oman's Maritime Security Center, an oil tanker identified as Skylight, under the flag of the Republic of Palau, was attacked off the coast of the Musandam Peninsula, about five nautical miles north of the port of Jasab. In this context, the attack fuels a hypothesis circulating through port terminals and shipping offices: that the sea will become a 'selection' board for targets, with ships associated with specific routes or cargo exposed to a higher risk, which multiplies uncertainty and complicates logistics decisions for the coming hours. The attack in Musandam was not the only blow reported on Omani territory. Meanwhile, Oman itself, which had been acting as a mediator in indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran, also confirmed a drone attack on the commercial port of Duqm, a fact that reinforces the feeling that the escalation has expanded into areas that had remained on the sidelines. The incident left at least four crew members injured and forced the evacuation of all 20 crew members, an episode that elevates the conflict to a dimension directly linked to global trade and energy supply. Omani authorities reported that 15 Indian citizens and five Iranian citizens were on board and that all were transferred to a safe place. The exact nature of the impact—whether it was a drone, a missile, or an explosive device—was not detailed in the initial report, nor was there an immediate official attribution of who carried out the attack. Analysts from banks and energy consulting firms warned that a prolonged halt in Hormuz could remove millions of barrels per day from the market, a volume difficult to replace in the short term even with production increases. On the other hand, other firms in the sector began to redesign routes to avoid hot spots, and some applied 'war risk' surcharges on goods destined for or transiting through the region. In 'over the counter' operations, the price of crude showed marked jumps, and the expectation that Brent could again approach 100 dollars per barrel became firmly established, levels the world associates with recent geopolitical shocks. In the same direction, insurers and reinsurers hardened conditions: without coverage, many shipowners prefer to halt rather than expose themselves to total losses. On this board, another piece of data appears as a counterweight, although insufficient to dissipate the shock: a group of OPEC+ countries—including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman—held a virtual meeting and agreed to a moderate production increase starting in April. In the coming hours, attention will focus on whether the episode was an isolated fact or the beginning of a sequence; on whether the diplomatic channels—today fragile—manage to impose limits; and on whether the region enters a phase where navigation becomes a hostage to war. Muscat - March 1, 2026 - Total News Agency - TNA
