09.11.2026 13:32
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and attacks on oil tankers have increased concerns about an environmental disaster around the Strait of Hormuz. Oil leaking from a damaged tanker off the coast of Oman reached the shores of Ras Madrakah and covered the coastline. As the oil pollution spread over hundreds of square kilometers, some beaches in the United Arab Emirates were also closed. Marine life and the coastal ecosystem in the region are under serious threat.
Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East are also having severe consequences at sea. Environmental pollution, which has grown after oil tankers were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz and its surroundings, continues to affect coastal areas. In Oman, oil reaching the shore has caused pollution along the coastline, while in the United Arab Emirates some beaches have been closed to use.
COASTLINE IN OMAN COVERED IN OIL
Crude oil leaking from the damaged tanker Caroline Bezengi off Oman spread over a wide area with sea currents and reached the beaches of Ras Madrakah. Authorities stated that the oil pollution has spread along the coast, while satellite images showed that the oil slick on the sea surface affected an area of hundreds of square kilometers.
The leak from the tanker, which was carrying approximately one million barrels of oil, created a major environmental threat in the region. Omani authorities warned that the pollution could also reach other coastal areas.
TANKERS CONTINUE TO BE TARGETED IN HORMUZ
Tanker attacks in the region are also continuing. Most recently, maritime reports published on November 8 stated that at least two tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, and that a fire broke out on one of them. In the incident off the city of Khasab in Oman, the ship's crew was evacuated.
Meanwhile, after oil leaking from a tanker previously attacked near Hormuz reached the coasts of the United Arab Emirates, some beaches were closed. Authorities have begun cleanup work in the polluted areas.
MARINE LIFE UNDER GREAT THREAT
Oil reaching the coasts poses a serious risk to sea turtles, fish, seabirds and other living creatures in the region. Experts warn that oil slicks can cause long-term damage to the marine ecosystem.
As tanker attacks in the Gulf continue, the spread of oil leaks is further increasing concerns about the environmental consequences of the conflicts.