Midnight attack on Iran's Sirik port near Hormuz, oil prices rise after explosions

An attack was reported at midnight on Sirik, a port city in southern Iran near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's state media said the city in Hormozgan province had come under an 'enemy' attack.

Before news of the attack was published, several explosions were heard in succession in the area. However, who carried out the attack and how much damage it caused are still not clear.

Citing Iran's state news agency IRNA, reports said government sources had reported the attack on the city of Sirik. The report said the attack was of a military nature.

However, IRNA's report gave no details on how much damage the attack caused or whether anyone was killed or injured.

The Anadolu agency, citing IRNA in a separate report, said the attack had taken place late at night, just minutes before the report was published. It also gave no information on who carried out the attack or what targets were hit.

Earlier, the semi-official Tasnim agency had reported that several explosions in succession were heard in Sirik county in eastern Hormozgan province. Tasnim initially said the cause of the explosions was not clear.

Tasnim's report also mentioned the view of several sources—that the explosions may have been caused by warning shots fired at some vessels accused of violating maritime rules.

The report noted that Iranian officials often use the word 'enemy' when referring to the war between Tehran and Washington.

After news of the attack was published, crude oil prices rose further on the world market. According to Reuters, Brent crude rose 3 percent on the international market, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.36 percent.

Sirik is located on Iran's southern coast, east of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategically important waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.