Iran speeds up oil exports amid Israel conflict: Report
Iran is moving quickly to ship its oil out of the country, according to new satellite images. The rush comes at a time when tensions are esclating between Iran and Israel as both countries traded missile and drone strikes on Friday. According to Bloomberg, oil is currently flowing out of Iran's ports in large amounts, signalling Iran wants to make sure it earns as much money as possible from oil sales before potential big-scale strikes may block its exports. Even with oil shipments rising, Iran's biggest export site -- Kharg Island -- has storage tanks that are now full.advertisementMany of the oil tanks at Kharg Island were only partially filled, according to satellite images taken by Planet Labs on June 11. Because of their floating roofs, these tanks' roofs rise and block sunlight when they are full. The tanks' shadows at the time indicated that they weren't yet full.SATELLITE IMAGES CONFIRM TANKS ARE FULL AFTER ATTACKS BEGIN
But on June 18, shortly after the Israeli attacks began, another set of satellite images showed a major change. The tanks now had no visible shadows on their roofs, which meant they were full to the top. The shadows around the tanks were still visible, proving that sunlight wasn't the issue. The photos were taken around the same time of day, under similar conditions, Bloomberg noted.This means Iran had presumably prepared for disruptions by filling its oil storage tanks. The tanks remain full despite high exports, indicating that Kharg is receiving even more oil. Iran seems to be storing more oil in case it is unable to ship later, while simultaneously exporting as quickly as possible.advertisementAccording to a 2024 S&P Global Commodity Insights report cited by Bloomberg, Kharg Island can store about 28 million barrels of crude oil. Two large tanks, each holding 1 million barrels, were repaired recently. It's unclear if these were counted in the previous storage total.IRAN'S STRATEGY CHANGES TO AVOID RISKIran's oil exports increased significantly after Israel launched missile strikes against the country on June 13. According to data from TankerTrackers.com, Iran exported an average of 2.33 million barrels of oil per day in the five days after the attacks, a 44% increase from earlier in the year.This may explain why Iran's oil tankers have started changing their usual behaviour. In the days before the attacks, satellite images from June 11 showed several large tankers -- each able to carry around 2 million barrels -- waiting near Kharg Island. This was seen as a normal number by experts, based on earlier comparisons.But a new image from June 17 -- four days after missiles struck Iran -- tells a different story. The tankers had all disappeared from the nearby waters. Bloomberg points out that this shows how Iran is now keeping ships farther away from the island until the last moment. Tankers arrive quickly, loading oil fast, and then leaving immediately, which reduces their chances of being hit during an attack.This method isn't new to Iran. In a similar response back in October, when Israel also launched attacks. At that time, Iran used the same strategy: spreading tankers out to safer areas and keeping oil exports flowing.Tune InMust Watch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Iran Launches Mega New Missile Strike On Israel; IRGC Releases Attack Video
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released dramatic footage showing a new wave of missile attacks targeting Israeli military sites, reportedly used in prior strikes on Iran. The video, filmed at an undisclosed location, shows multiple missiles being launched as part of Operation True Promise III. Now in its seventh day, the conflict continues to escalate with no signs of slowing. Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei issued a stern warning to the United States, cautioning Washington against intervening in the intensifying Iran-Israel confrontation. Read More
India.com
31 minutes ago
- India.com
Iran's ‘Brahmastra' causing massive destruction in Israel, This lethal ‘dancing' missile can bombard Tel Aviv from 2000 kms away and…, Know 5 key facts about Sejjil missile
Iran's 'Brahmastra' causing massive destruction in Israel, This lethal 'dancing' missile can bombard Tel Aviv from 2000 kms away and..., Know about Sejjil missile The war between Iran and Israel is becoming more dangerous with each passing day. Now, there are signs that the United States might get more involved, and if that happens, the positions of countries like Russia and China will also become important. Amid all this, one of Iran's missiles is getting a lot of attention. It is believed to be Iran's most powerful weapon, something like a 'brahmastra' (ultimate weapon) that Iran is using to strongly hit back at Israel. Iran's use of the Sejjil missile For the first time, Iran has used its Sejjil missile against Israel. Reports claim that Iran has used this missile to target Mossad offices, air force bases, and secret intelligence centers inside Israel. Let's understand what makes this missile so special. 5 key things about the Sejjil missile: The Sejjil missile runs on solid fuel, which means it can be launched quickly and doesn't need much preparation time. It can hit targets from the ground. This missile can travel up to 2,000 kilometers, allowing Iran to hit faraway targets, including deep inside Israel. The missile is 18 meters long and can carry up to 700 kilograms of explosives which is enough to cause heavy damage. Some other versions of the Sejjil missile may even reach up to 4,000 kilometers, putting many countries within its range. One of its biggest strengths is that it's very hard to track. The missile can dodge enemy air defense systems, making it difficult to stop once it's launched. In short, Sejjil is one of Iran's most powerful and advanced weapons and right now, it's playing a key role in its defence against the Israel. Why did the Iran-Israel war start? The root of the current Iran-Israel war lies in a major security concern. Israeli intelligence got a tip-off that Iran was very close to building a nuclear bomb. Their military also provided reports suggesting that Iran had assigned key scientists with important roles to speed up this project. Although the report didn't clearly mention how far Iran had reached in making the bomb, the threat was seen as serious. That's why Israel decided to launch a major attack on Iran to stop it before things went too far. What is Iran's strategy? Iran knows it doesn't have the latest fighter jets. In fact, it still uses old Russian MIG-29 aircrafts. But despite that, Iran has one big advantage— i.e. it owns the largest stockpile of ballistic missiles in the entire Middle East. So instead of relying on air power, Iran is using its missile strength to hit back hard.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
35 minutes ago
- First Post
Israel-Iran Conflict Day 8 LIVE: Missile hits Beersheba tech park near Microsoft building
Israel-Iran conflict live updates: Iran has launched a fresh wave of attacks against Israel, with missiles targeting the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was struck yesterday. The air strikes reportedly hit a tech park in the city and fires were reported near a Microsoft office read more With neither country backing down, the foreign ministers of Britain, France and Germany, along with the European Union foreign policy chief, were due to meet in Geneva with Iran's foreign minister to try to de-escalate the conflict on Friday. "Now is the time to put a stop to the grave scenes in the Middle East and prevent a regional escalation that would benefit no one," said British Foreign Minister David Lammy ahead of their joint meeting with Abbas Araqchi, Iran's foreign minister. Israel and Iran's air war entered a second week on Friday and European officials sought to draw Tehran back to the negotiating table after President Donald Trump said any decision on potential US involvement would be made within two weeks. Iran has launched a fresh wave of attacks against Israel, with missiles targeting the southern city of Beersheba, where a hospital was struck yesterday. The air strikes reportedly hit a tech park in the city and fires were reported near a Microsoft office. Meanwhile, Israeli air attacks have killed 639 people in Iran, said the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Those killed include the military's top echelon and nuclear scientists. Israel has said at least two dozen Israeli civilians have died in Iranian missile attacks. Reuters could not independently verify the death toll from either side. British, German and French foreign ministers will meet their Iranian counterpart Abbas Argachi in Geneva for nuclear talks, in a first diplomatic sit-down between Europe and Iran as Trump weighs US involvement. Israel has targeted nuclear sites and missile capabilities, and sought to shatter the government of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Western and regional officials. 'Are we targeting the downfall of the regime? That may be a result, but it's up to the Iranian people to rise for their freedom,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both condemned Israel and agreed that de-escalation is needed, the Kremlin said on Thursday. The role of the United States remained uncertain. Lammy also met Trump's special envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff, on Thursday in Washington, and said they had discussed a possible deal. With inputs from Reuters
