Trump said the US International Development Finance Corporation would offer insurance "at a very reasonable price" to help ensure the flow of energy.

“I put Israel under pressure” +++ Trump offers escort for oil tankers +++ Building of the Iranian Council of Experts hit +++ all developments in the live blog

US Navy 'will begin escorting' oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway, if necessary, Trump says.

Trump orders oil tanker insurance support, says Navy could escort ships in Gulf  Reuters

The US-flagged oil tanker Stena Imperative has sustained damage in the Persian Gulf, indicating potential maritime incidents related to the ongoing regional tensions.

Omani authorities reported that one person was killed in an attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Muscat, causing an explosion and fire, as Iran continues its retaliatory campaign in the Persian Gulf.

Waiting for Hormuz, More Oil Tankers Gather in the Persian Gulf  Bloomberg

Qatar strongly condemned Iranian strikes targeting the commercial port of Duqm and an oil tanker off the coast of Oman, describing the attacks as a violation of Omani sovereignty and… (The post Majed…

An oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag was hit by a missile off the coast of Oman while carrying cargo, according to two maritime security sources.

Iran confirmed on Sunday that it attacked an oil tanker because it refused an order not to cross the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Belgian armed forces seized a Russian oil tanker in the North Sea, boarding the shadow fleet vessel with helicopters. It is being escorted to Zeebrugge port for impoundment.

A missile reportedly fell a short distance from an oil tanker near Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates, causing concern in the shipping community.

US-sanctioned oil tanker hit off Oman coast Reuters

Oil tanker hit near Khasab; 20 crew members evacuated  Times of Oman

Maritime traffic, particularly oil tankers, through the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly decreased by 20-25% following recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran, with many vessels altering course or turning back.

An article discusses the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as the 'most dangerous passage in the world' due to its narrow width and the volume of oil tankers passing through it daily, referencing its history from the 'tanker war' to the present.

Iran ramps up oil tanker loading as US builds military force  The Straits Times

Washington has imposed a new series of economic sanctions targeting Iranian individuals, companies, and oil tankers, aiming to reduce Tehran's revenue ahead of nuclear talks in Geneva.

JANAF announced it will receive eight tankers of non-Russian oil for MOL by April, reinforcing its role in ensuring energy supply security for EU partners.

Russian oil tanker allegedly bound for Cuba engaged in deceptive shipping practices including signal manipulation and offshore cargo transfer, according to maritime intelligence firm Windward.

US armed forces in the Indian Ocean intercepted the oil tanker Bertha, which was attempting to bypass sanctions against Iran. The vessel was tracked from the Caribbean to the Maldives before being seized without incident.

Russia is reportedly placing security agents, often former GRU or commando personnel, on its 'ghost fleet' oil tankers to monitor crews and gather operational data, as seen on a tanker seized by France.

In the last year, the number of oil tankers and other commercial ships abandoned by their owning companies has significantly increased worldwide. What is the reason behind this and how does it affect the pr

The U.S. has indicted the captain of an oil tanker for falsely flying a Guyanese flag and failing to obey a Coast Guard order to halt the ship for boarding by U.S. forces.

A collision between a car and a trailer on Monday claimed six lives on the National Highway in Sindh’s Naushahro Feroze District, officials said. Naushahro Feroze Senior Superintendent of Police Mir Rohal Khoso told Dawn that all six people who died were travelling in the car, while the trailer’s driver was injured. He said the accident took place between 5am and 6am, adding that “ostensibly, speeding and brake failure were probable reasons,” but the matter was being probed further. SSP Khoso elaborated that one side of the National Highway in the district was under construction, which was a “contributory factor behind increasing accidents”. He stated that, in collaboration with the motorway police, it has been decided to set up five points for checking the speed and fitness of vehicles to control the rise in accidents. Sindh Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Odho, in a statement, ordered the Naushahro Feroze SSP to probe the accident and register a case. Expressing his grief over the loss of lives, IG Odho ordered that legal action be taken against those responsible after determining the causes behind the accident. Fatal road accidents on highways occur frequently in Pakistan, with the main reasons including speeding, hazardous overtaking, and disregard for traffic rules. On Sunday, at least 11 people were killed and eight were injured after a bus collided with a trailer on the National Highway near Tando Masti in Sindh’s Khairpur district. A day before that, 13 people died in a traffic accident involving an oil tanker and a passenger bus on the M9 Motorway near Karachi. Crackdown against overloading and speeding ordered In his statement, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed his grief over the loss of lives in the accident and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. “We share the grief of the bereaved families,” he was quoted as saying in the statement issued by his spokesperson, Abdul Rasheed Channa. The statement said that the car involved in the incident was heading from Larkana Division’s Nasirabad taluka to Karachi. CM Murad also issued directives for the strict implementation of traffic rules and regulations. He ordered the Sindh IG to carry out a “crackdown against overloading and speeding”. He further directed that monitoring and fitness checks of vehicles be made more stringent across the province. “The protection of the public’s life and property is the government’s top responsibility,” the chief minister noted.

With global energy prices on the rise, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital chokepoint into the Gulf that Iran has threatened to seal off

The president has said the U.S. could give military escorts to oil tankers in the region to ease the strain on global energy supplies

STORY - The first three days of war in Iran have already caused hundreds of deaths, including Ayatollah Khamenei. A look back at 72 hours that could shake the world's balance.

An Indian national was killed on Monday when an explosive-laden drone boat struck an oil tanker off the coast of Muscat Governorate, according to officials.

Oil Tanker Rates Skyrocket on Key Middle East-to-China Route  Bloomberg

An attack on an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly by a naval drone, killed a crew member and caused oil prices to rise, leading leading shipping companies to suspend traffic and reduce passage by 70%.

Iran has been threatening vessels approaching Strait of Hormuz, and is believed to have launched multiple attacks to counter US-Israel aggression

Belgian forces, with French support, boarded and seized an oil tanker belonging to Russia's 'secret fleet', leading Moscow to accuse Belgium of piracy.

An oil tanker carrying 15 Indian crew members was struck off the coast of Oman, resulting in four injuries and the evacuation of the crew. This incident follows earlier drone strikes in the Gulf country.

Following an attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, German company Hapag-Lloyd has suspended its operations in the area, citing increased threats despite the strait not being officially closed.

The oil tanker 'Skylight' was attacked off the coast of Oman, injuring four people and leading to the evacuation of its 20-member crew.

Belgium's special forces, assisted by France, boarded and seized an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' used to circumvent Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

Belgian special forces intercepted and will seize a vessel belonging to Russia's 'ghost fleet', authorities announced.

Oil and gas tankers are increasingly avoiding the Hormuz shipping strait that links the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the open seas after the US and Israel bombed Iran.

The United States is seeking the forfeiture of the Motor Tanker Skipper, a vessel seized in December, and approximately 1.8 million barrels of crude oil cargo supplied by Venezuela's state oil company.

Russia-linked oil tankers Rigel, Hyperion and Kousai tracked carrying sanctioned crude worth $55 million through British waters, according to reports.

The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed new sanctions on four individuals, several entities, and oil tankers linked to Iran, according to an announcement on its website.

French prosecutors in Brest have demanded a one-year prison sentence and a 150,000-euro fine for the Chinese captain of the oil tanker Boracay, as part of France's crackdown on Russia's 'shadow fleet' for failing to comply with regulations.

U.S. forces have intercepted the fugitive oil tanker 'Bertha' in the Indian Ocean, as President Donald Trump's sanctions blockade extends to global waters.

The US Department of Defense announced that its forces have seized a third oil tanker operating under sanctions.

A French court is set to determine its jurisdiction over the Chinese captain of the oil tanker Boracay, which is reportedly part of Russia's 'shadow fleet,' after he failed to comply with French navy orders off the coast of Brittany.

An Iran-linked oil tanker, seized by the Indian Coast Guard, spent days in Pakistan's maritime boundary with its tracking systems off. The vessel, along with two others, was apprehended for alleged illegal oil smuggling and forgery. Investigations revealed ship-to-ship transfers of fuel and bitumen without informing authorities.

A Venezuelan-Like Oil Blockade Against Iran Could Enable The US To Divide-And-Rule RIC Authored by Andrew Korybko, The cascading consequences of such a blockade, which might not ultimately be imposed due it entailing a high risk of war with Iran, could simultaneously weaken Russia, India, and China. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump 2.0 is considering imposing a Venezuelan-like oil blockade against Iran. It hasn’t yet done so due to concerns that Iran might attack the US’ regional military assets and/or seize its Gulf allies’ oil tankers, with either scenario destabilizing the global oil market and spiking the risk of war, so it might never ultimately happen. If the US were to successfully impose such a blockade, however, then it might be able to adroitly divide-and-rule Russia, India, and China (RIC). “The US Wants To Replicate The Venezuelan Model In Iran” by coercing Iran into subordinating itself and its energy industry to the US. The “Trump Doctrine”, which is shaped by Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby’s “Strategy of Denial”, seeks to deny strategic resources to the US’ rivals. Accordingly, it has an interest in cutting off China’s average import of 1.38 million barrels of Iranian oil per day last year, which could hit its economy hard if they’re not replaced (and that might be difficult). These exports could then be redirected to India, thus enabling India to more than replace its average import of 1 million barrels per day of Russian oil last month, with the revenue placed in an escrow account per the Venezuelan precedent for release to Iran if it cuts a nuclear and missile deal with the US. Through these means, India could zero out its import of Russian oil while raising the US’ role over its energy security exactly as Trump 2.0 wants, with the end result dealing incredible harm to RIC. Russia’s budgetary revenue from such sales would be reduced and could only realistically be replaced in part through more sales to China, though that might not be as easy as it sounds. The UK is preparing a campaign to seize Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the English Channel after being emboldened by the US’ seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker near its coast. If Russia doesn’t impose unacceptable costs on the UK, and it didn’t impose any on the US for doing this, then its Baltic Sea tankers might never reach China. Those from the Black Sea might not reach it either if the UK allies with Greece and Cyprus to cut off Russia’s “shadow fleet” from that vector too. Pipeline exports, which have limits to how much they can be scaled, would then be the only means for replacing part of Russia’s lost oil exports to India with China apart from relatively minimal tanker exports from the Far East. The resultant economic pressure on Russia and China might make them susceptible to lopsided deals with the US on Ukraine and trade. As for India, it already entered into a partially lopsided deal with the US as regards the informal quid pro quo of it agreeing to zero out its import of Russian oil in exchange for their trade deal, and the US’ growing influence over India’s energy security could curtail its hard-earned strategic autonomy. This might then be leveraged for coercing a reduction in India’s purchase of Chinese goods and services so as to place more pressure on the People’s Republic to agree to its own lopsided trade deal with the US. This worst-case scenario of the US’ dividing-and-ruling RIC can be averted by Iran deterring or breaking a US blockade on its oil in parallel with Russia doing the same with respect to any British one against its “shadow fleet”. These options require immense political will since they entail the potential cost of a hot war breaking out between Great Powers so it’s unclear whether they’ll be implemented, but likewise, so too might the US and UK ultimately back off from their possible blockades for the same reason. Tyler Durden Mon, 02/16/2026 - 20:05

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained cut off from rest of the country on Sunday as activists of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf continued their protest on third consecutive day and blocked all entry and exit points of the province. The PTI activists have blocked Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway at Swabi’s Anbar Interchange, GT Road at Khairabad Bridge, Dera Ismail Khan-Bhakkar Road, Lakki Marwat-Mianwali Road, Hazara Motorway at Abbottabad-Havelian Interchange, Kohat-Pindi Road near Khushal Garh and Upper Kohistan-Gilgit Karakoram Highway. Protesters remained present all the time at exit and entry points and did not allow a single vehicle to enter the province, causing serious problems to passengers and motorists destined to Islamabad and other parts of the country. Former governor Shah Farman, PTI Peshawar district president Irfan Saleem, deputy secretary information Ikram Khattana and other leaders of the party were present at Khairabad Bridge, connecting Attock district of Punjab with KP. Commuters, motorists face hardships Protesters have been demanding of the government to shift PTI founder Imran Khan from jail to hospital for treatment of his eye by doctors of his choice. Speaking on the occasion, Shah Farman said that under Article-4 of the Constitution, no authority could deny treatment of his choice to a patient. He said that the people, who were not allowing treatment of Imran Khan through doctors of his choice, would be responsible if his eye was further damaged. PTI workers blocked Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway near Swabi Interchange to all types of traffic, vowing to stay on roads till Imran Khan was shifted to hospital for medical treatment. Vendors were seen selling various eatables while setting up stalls on motorway, converting it into a market. PTI Swabi general secretary Afsar Khan told journalists that they were not ready to go back homes under any circumstances. “We will continue to sit here and if our demand is not accepted. This protest will continue. The federal government is responsible for the prevailing mess in the country,” he said. Stranded commuters said that government should take action against PTI workers to open the motorway to traffic because people, especially patients, were facing difficulties. “Where should we go, who should we beg, who should we ask and who should we request to open the motorway,” questioned Shahzad Khan, a resident of Peshawar. Uzair Khan, a resident of Gundam who was seriously injured in a firing incident on Saturday, was not allowed to reach a hospital in Peshawar through motorway. The circumstances forced his family to pass through Swabi and Mardan but he did not reach hospital and passed away. His relatives said that PTI workers were responsible for his death. During the last three days, it has been observed, that there is no rush at daytime at the venue of protest. In the afternoon youth start to arrive at rest area and in the evening there is a lot of crowd on motorway. PTI workers blocked roads at four key points in Dera Ismail Khan district on Sunday, suspending traffic and causing inconvenience to commuters and motorists. The sit-ins were held on Bhakkar Road, Multan Road, Chashma Road and CPEC route, bringing vehicular movement to a standstill at these locations. As a result, long queues of vehicles were seen on major arteries. Witnesses said that several commuters remained stranded for hours, while alternative routes also experienced heavy congestion due to diverted traffic. The protest is being held on the call of PTI central leaders, who have urged workers to demonstrate over the deteriorating health of Imran Khan and demand his immediate release. The district administration was monitoring the situation while residents called for restoration of traffic flow to ease their hardships. PTI activists continued protest demonstrations in Lakki Marwat and Karak districts on the second consecutive day on Sunday. A good number of party workers led by former district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Minakhel gathered at Darra Tang Point where they closed Bannu-Mianwali road, linking KP with Punjab and Islamabad via CPEC route. The closure of road on the second consecutive day troubled transporters and commuters as passenger and good transport vehicles queued up on both sides of the main artery. On the occasion, the former district nazim said that denial of access to healthcare and maltreatment by federal government had led to loss of Imran’s vision. He said that PTI activists had come on roads to hold peaceful protests against the PML-N government, which was responsible for the poor health of their party leader. In Karak, the PTI workers gathered outside Nashapa oil and gas field and staged a sit-in there. They stopped supply from the oil and gas field as oil tankers could not enter or come out of the area. An official of district administration confirmed disruption of oil supply from the field. PTI district president Inayat Khattak said that leaders and workers of the party decided in a meeting to shut down oil and gas fields in Makori, Nashapa and Gurguri to record their protest against non-provision of treatment facilities to Imran Khan. Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026

US military forces boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, tracking it from the Caribbean Sea as part of efforts to combat illicit trade.

US forces have boarded a second sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, indicating ongoing efforts to enforce sanctions.

The US military boarded an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking its journey from the Caribbean, indicating ongoing maritime security operations.

Belgium has imposed a 10 million euro bail on a seized Russian oil tanker, indicating ongoing legal actions related to sanctions against Russia.

It is not clear who attacked the tanker, Stena Imperative. Its U.S. operator, Crowley, described “aerial impacts” and said that a fire on board was quickly extinguished.

Exploding drone boats have reportedly entered the Middle East conflict, with Oman stating one hit the Skylight oil tanker in a fatal blow.

The war in the Middle East looks set to pose a significant risk to the global economy, with drone attacks near oil refineries in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Monday indicating that Iran is targeting…

An Indian national has died after an oil tanker, the MKD VYOM, was attacked by an unmanned boat off the coast of Oman. The strike caused a fire and explosion in the vessel's engine room. This incident occurs amid heightened tensions and ongoing retaliation campaigns in the Gulf region.

Belgian forces released a video showing them boarding a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker, an action French President Emmanuel Macron described as a 'major blow' to Russia's efforts to evade sanctions.

Following the US-Israeli attack on Iran and their response, hundreds of tankers are waiting in front of the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the leading routes for global oil trade.

The Belgian federal prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the oil tanker Ethera. The probe aims to determine if the vessel breached the Belgian Shipping Code, potentially related to sanctions or illicit activities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has responded to the seizure by Belgian military forces of an oil tanker belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet."

Oil tanker hit off Oman coast after drones strike Duqm port  The Straits Times

A Palau-flagged oil tanker, the Skylight, was attacked off the coast of Musandam, Oman, resulting in injuries and the evacuation of its crew, marking a new security incident in Middle Eastern maritime routes.

The Belgian army, with assistance from France, boarded an oil tanker belonging to Russia's shadow fleet overnight, according to Defense Minister Francken.

Mideast-Asia oil tanker rates at highest since 2020 as Iran tensions simmer  Reuters

Iran is increasing its oil tanker loadings while the U.S. builds up its military presence in the region.

The US military has interdicted another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, marking the tenth such seizure by the Trump administration since early December.

US military forces have seized a third sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean, having tracked it all the way from the Caribbean Sea, according to the Pentagon.

Russia is increasingly utilizing larger oil tankers to facilitate its growing oil exports to China.

The Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers has pledged to lobby the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to enact legislation empowering the body to tackle frequent building collapses and oil tanker accidents across Nigeria.

Oil tanker rates are surging and are anticipated to climb even higher due to increased risks associated with Iran.

India seizes three Iran-linked US-sanctioned tankers, source says  Daily Maverick

US Military Boards Another Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean After Tracking It From the Caribbean  The National Herald

US forces boarded a sanctioned tanker in the Indo-Pacific after it reportedly attempted to evade a Trump administration quarantine order.