Iraq halts oil port operations after deadly Basra attack,atleast 1 dead

Operations at Iraq’s key oil export ports were halted on Thursday after a deadly attack on tankers near Basra port killed at least one person and forced the rescue of dozens of crew members, as the widening conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel continued to destabilise the Middle East.Iraqi authorities said the assault targeted two oil tankers near the strategic Basra port, leaving one person dead while 38 others were rescued from the vessels. Following the incident, Iraq temporarily halted operations at its oil ports to assess security risks and prevent further damage to critical energy infrastructure.
The attack came amid intensifying hostilities across the region, with Tehran warning it could wage a prolonged war with US and Tel Aviv that would “destroy” the global economy. The warning followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said late Wednesday that the Islamic republic was facing imminent defeat.The escalation has also intensified fighting around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the crucial waterway that carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply. The disruption has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, prompting emergency releases from international reserves and a limited drawdown of U.S. oil stockpiles.
Oil prices have surged since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader and triggered a broader regional conflict. Retaliatory Iranian missile strikes and drone attacks have since slowed shipping traffic through the strait to a near halt, raising concerns about a global supply shock.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military said on Thursday that Iranian missiles had been launched toward Israeli territory, with air defence systems activated as explosions were heard in Jerusalem. Israel later announced “wide-scale” strikes on targets in Tehran and against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.The Israeli military urged residents in affected areas to move to shelters after it said it had “identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel.”
In Washington, Trump warned that while Iran was nearing defeat, the United States could intensify its military campaign if needed.“They are pretty much at the end of the line,” Trump told reporters, adding that further strikes could make it “almost impossible” for Iran to rebuild.Amid the escalating crisis, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday passed a resolution calling on Iran to immediately halt attacks on Gulf states, saying they violate international law and pose a “serious threat to international peace and security.”The resolution, adopted by 13 votes with two abstentions, demanded the “immediate cessation of all attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan.”