A sanctioned tanker has run aground off the coast of Oman and is leaking crude oil, creating a spreading slick that environmental groups warn could trigger a major ecological disaster.
Satellite imagery reviewed by news agencies shows the oil spill expanding across hundreds of square kilometres near a protected nature reserve.
The vessel is identified as part of the so-called Russian shadow fleet and is subject to sanctions by Canada, the UK, and the EU.
The incident adds another layer of risk to an already volatile shipping environment in the Middle East.
It comes just hours after reports emerged of two tankers exploding in the Strait of Hormuz, further escalating maritime violence in the region.
These events underscore the growing exposure of energy trade routes to both geopolitical conflict and operational failures involving sanctioned vessels.