Qatar's LNG ship was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and lost control, causing the situation in the Middle East to suddenly escalate.

A transport ship carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar was struck by a projectile while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a sudden escalation in tensions in the Middle East and putting new pressure on global energy markets. Reports confirm that the attacked vessel is the Gaslog Shanghai LNG carrier. The UK Maritime Trade Operations office (UKMTO) stated that the ship was hit by an unidentified projectile about 11 nautical miles northeast of Oman, causing damage to its engine room. The ship is currently out of control, with no reports of casualties or environmental pollution. The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed U.S. officials, reported that President Trump has ordered the military to prepare for a new round of strikes against Iran, which could begin as early as this weekend. On the East Coast of the U.S. on the 29th, President Trump told CCTV News in an interview that the U.S. would retaliate following the Iranian missile attack on U.S. troops. Trump stated that the U.S. would "hit Iran very hard," and Iran would face "painful" consequences. Iran issued a strong warning in response. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated that the U.S.'s ongoing maritime blockade would lead Iran to tighten its control over the Strait of Hormuz and could potentially close other key maritime chokepoints. "The cost of this will be borne by the global economy, the energy market, and U.S. voters," he said. The LNG ship has lost control, and another oil tanker has reported an explosion in the vicinity. According to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and Kpler, the Gaslog Shanghai completed loading in Qatar around July 27 and stopped transmitting signals near the western entrance of the Strait of Hormuz on July 31. The identity of the ship has been confirmed by security advisory firms Vanguard Tech and Marisks. The Greek ship management company Gaslog has not responded outside of normal business hours. On Saturday, the UKMTO issued another warning, revealing that another oil tanker in the waters near Oman reported seeing large splashes and explosions nearby. UKMTO stated that they have informed the local coast guard of the situation. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose over 3% to $86 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude also increased by over 1%, closing at $90.12 per barrel. However, both benchmarks have still cumulatively fallen by over 5% this week. Ceasefire Agreement Breaks Down, Conflict Expands On the East Coast of the U.S. on the 29th, ahead of the stock market opening, President Trump stated in an interview with CCTV News that after Iran launched missile attacks on U.S. troops, the U.S. would retaliate. Trump asserted that the U.S. would "hit Iran very hard," and Iran would face "painful" repercussions. Axios cited unnamed U.S. officials stating that Trump is seriously considering strikes against Iranian energy targets within the coming days but has not yet issued a final order. The Wall Street Journal noted that if diplomatic negotiations show progress, Trump may still call off the planned strikes. Iran's response was equally forceful. Zolghadr warned that the U.S.'s "maritime blockade and war-mongering" will not only tighten control over the Strait of Hormuz but could also lead to the closure of other straits and chokepoints. The U.S. reimplemented a maritime blockade against Iranian vessels on July 13, prohibiting their entry and exit from U.S. ports. Over the past week, the U.S. conducted a "massive" strike against multiple targets of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In retaliation, Iran attacked U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait announced that its air defense systems intercepted drone attacks launched by Iran. Signs of conflict expansion are raising market concerns. Egypt reported on Thursday that a drone struck two vessels at its Mediterranean port of Damietta, causing a fire, with no group claiming responsibility. This is the first attack to reach Egyptian territory since the outbreak of this war, raising fears that the Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea could become Iran's second strike target. This article is sourced from "Wall Street Journal" and authored by Zhang Yaqi, edited by Zheng Yuyang.