Two oil tankers were the target of an attack off the southern coast of Iraq, resulting in one death and several missing persons. The Arab country stated that the bombing of the two vessels is a "violation of its sovereignty". This upward trend is consolidating after reaching records not seen in years, reflecting the critical impact the war is having on the international energy supply chain. It was also confirmed that one of the vessels was registered under the flag of Malta. In the context of the conflict in the Middle East, the price of a barrel of oil surpassed the $100 mark in the Asian market. According to statements to the local Iraqiya TV station, accessed by the Argentine News Agency, the head of Iraq's Security Cell, Lieutenant General Saad Maan, commented that one crew member was killed in the attack and 37 were rescued. The director of the Iraqi Ports General Company (GCPI), Farhan al Fartousi, announced the total suspension of operations at the country's oil terminals following the incident, although he specified that commercial ports continue to operate normally. According to information reported to state television, one of the damaged tankers was carrying fuel supplied by the state-owned State Organization for Marketing Oil (SOMO) and was performing ship-to-ship transfer (STS) maneuvers at the time of impact.
