Middle East War: Israel and US Halt Indian Ships Amid Ongoing Conflict

Two ships carrying LPG are among the 11 Indian vessels that have been halted by Israel and the US, owing to heavy shelling amid the ongoing war in Iran. The Indian Navy is in coordination with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who have suggested that the vessels should wait till the situation normalises. The LPG tankers were named Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, as per reports. As per sources, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is going through a leadership crisis after the killing of Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani which is leading to a stagnation in decision making. Meanwhile, the LPG supply squeeze continued owing to the blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, as the war in the Middle East entered its third week. Since the outset of the war with Iran, only 90 ships, including oil tankers, have crossed the Strait of Hormuz. As per maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, many of the vessels that passed through the strait were so-called “dark” transits evading Western government sanctions and oversight that likely have ties to Iran. Vessels with ties to India and Pakistan have also successfully crossed the strait as the governments of both these nations stepped up negotiations. Due to Western sanctions and associated risks, China has been the biggest buyer of Iranian oil. As crude prices spiked above $100 a barrel, U.S. President Donald Trump had pressured allies and trade partners to send warships and reopen the strait, hoping to bring oil prices lower. However, none of its allies offered to get involved in the Middle East war. At least 89 ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz between March 1 and 15 – including 16 oil tankers, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, down from roughly 100 to 135 vessel passages per day before the war. More than one-fifth of the 89 vessels were Iran-affiliated, while Chinese and Greek-affiliated ships are among the rest, it said. The Strait of Hormuz, a waterway for global oil and gas transport that supplies roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil, has been effectively blocked by Iran since early March, after the war started. About 20 vessels have also been attacked in the area. (With AP inputs)