UPDATE: Drone strike hits Kuwaiti oil tanker off Dubai coast

Authorities in Dubai announced that emergency teams successfully extinguished a fire aboard a Kuwaiti oil tanker following a reported drone strike on March 30, state news KUNA reported. 

Earlier statements indicated that the tanker was struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle, prompting an immediate emergency response. The vessel, identified by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation as the crude oil tanker Al-Salmi, was said to be fully laden at the time of the incident.

The vessel was carrying approximately 2mn barrels of crude, worth roughly $200mn at current prices.

The incident occurred in the anchorage area known as Al Mukhataf (E), within Dubai’s territorial waters.

According to Dubai’s Government Media Office, specialised maritime firefighting units responded swiftly to the blaze, evacuating all 24 crew members without any reported injuries. Officials added that teams are continuing to assess the situation and will release further updates as more information becomes available.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation described the attack as a direct and deliberate strike. It attributed responsibility to Iran. The company reported structural damage to the ship’s hull and confirmed that the impact caused a fire on board, with a potential risk of oil leaking into surrounding waters.

Growing concerns are emerging over the risk of a major environmental disaster in the Arabian Gulf following the incident. Any significant oil spill could have severe and long-lasting consequences for the region’s fragile marine ecosystem.

If not swiftly contained, a potential crude leak could lead to widespread destruction of marine life, contamination of coastlines, and prolonged environmental damage affecting fisheries and coastal communities.

Despite the severity of the incident, no casualties were reported. Kuwaiti authorities stated that technical teams are currently conducting a detailed assessment of the damage and monitoring any possible environmental impact.

Iran has warned that safe passage through the strait will only be guaranteed once the US-Israeli military operation ends. Tehran blocked the Hormuz chokepoint to tankers affiliated with adversary states at the start of the war, effectively shutting down a waterway that normally handles around 20% of the world's oil and LNG shipments.

Oil prices stood at around $115 a barrel on March 31, up nearly 60% since the start of the conflict.

The continued targeting of commercial vessels in Gulf waters has raised fears of a broader disruption to energy markets and global shipping, with insurance premiums for Gulf-bound tankers surging in recent weeks.