Crude oil loading operations were suspended across all Iraqi terminals on Thursday after a drone struck an oil tanker at the Basra port.
The vessel was subsequently towed outside the harbor alongside another tanker that had been anchored as a precautionary measure.
While the impact did not cause structural damage or ignite a fire, the incident triggered an immediate shutdown of export activities at the facility.
The suspension of loading at Basra, one of Iraq's primary export hubs, introduces fresh uncertainty into global supply chains.
Markets are likely to monitor the situation closely for any signs of prolonged disruption to Iraqi crude flows, which could tighten regional supply and support energy prices.
The incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of maritime infrastructure in the Gulf to asymmetric threats.