Iranian official: Plans to attack crude oil export facilities, aiming to hit Trump before the US midterm elections

Odaily Planet Daily News A senior Iranian official stated that Tehran is planning to wage an economic war, including attacks on oil bypass export facilities in the Gulf region, aiming to push up US gasoline prices and damage the support rate of Trump's party before the US November midterm elections. According to the official, the targets of this plan will include two main alternative routes used by shipping companies to avoid the Strait of Hormuz: Saudi Arabia's Yanbu oil pipeline and the UAE's Fujairah oil terminal. Together, these two facilities handle approximately 5.5 million barrels of oil per day. If Iran also cuts off the approximately 5 million barrels per day of oil supply currently transported through the Strait of Hormuz by the US-backed "shadow fleet," then a successful operation would weaken a significant portion of the alternative transportation capacity—precisely the channels that have sustained part of Gulf oil exports amid a broader blockade. Given that Brent crude prices are already near $93 per barrel amid current tensions, any credible action targeting Yanbu or Fujairah could be seen by traders as a shock far greater than previous supply disruptions. (Jin Shi)