Three tankers hit in Hormuz as regional leaders talk de-escalation

Good afternoon, friends. We’re ending the week with a clear geopolitical theme, as three tankers have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz this week, two of them managed out of Abu Dhabi, and Washington is moving a third carrier group into the region.

Three Liberia-flagged tankers were struck by unknown projectiles while transiting Hormuz between Monday evening and Wednesday, Reuters reported yesterday. The tankers included oil products tanker Al Ruwais and VLCC Mersin Prosperity, both managed by ADNOC Logistics & Services, and the Aframax Sinbad, managed by Anglo-Eastern. One was set alight, but the fire was put out, the crew is safe, and the vessel continued its voyage. UK Maritime Trade Operations has since reported a 2.5 mn bbl supertanker hit by a projectile and set on fire, according to Al Jazeera.

The US now has three carriers and two landing groups deploying around Iran. The Roosevelt strike group and the Makin Island force, carrying 2k Marines, have left San Diego, and a US official told Al Jazeera the buildup should be in place by November. The Pentagon is weighing further reinforcements.

Meanwhile, leaders in the region are talking de-escalation. UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoon bin Zayed was in Muscat on Wednesday, meeting Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who also holds the office of prime minister, according to Oman's state news agency. The two discussed de-escalating regional tensions through diplomacy and safeguarding national security. The visit follows Sheikh Mansour’s visit to Riyadh and Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Sheikh Mohamed in the UAE, which puts Abu Dhabi on three channels at once. Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian said this week that Tehran “has never avoided” dialogue with Washington, while noting it has been attacked three times during negotiations. Where’s that offramp, again? –Salma