Recent satellite imagery has revealed what experts describe as possible hydrocarbon leaks near the Strait of Hormuz, following US strikes on oil tankers that Washington said were linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.
Images captured by the Copernicus satellite programme and reviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP) show brown and dark-coloured trails on the sea surface about 20 kilometres from the Iranian coastline, east of the strategically important waterway.
Experts point to possible oil pollution
According to specialists consulted by AFP, the images appear consistent with fuel or oil pollution.
Vincent Kerboul, head of maritime satellite monitoring at French company CLS, said there are "strong indications" of pollution likely originating from vessels.
Leon Moreland, a researcher at the UK-based Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS), said the imagery "most likely" shows oil slicks, citing their appearance, morphology and spread, as well as the absence of indications that the discoloration is linked to algae or phytoplankton.
US environmental monitoring organisation SkyTruth has reportedly reached a similar assessment.
Environmental concerns
The suspected pollution is located in an area that includes coral reefs and wetlands protected under the Ramsar Convention.
Experts caution that satellite images alone cannot conclusively confirm the presence of hydrocarbons or identify their exact source. However, the available evidence suggests a potential environmental incident linked to maritime activity.
Kerboul said that if the material consists of lighter fuels, it could evaporate within three to four days. If it is crude oil, the contamination could persist significantly longer.
Link to sunk tankers under examination
Two of the trails appear to originate near the last reported positions of the tankers Riesco and Kylo, which reportedly sank on 5 September and 8 September, respectively.
US forces announced on 8 September that they had destroyed five oil tankers, four of them in the Gulf of Oman, in retaliation for missile attacks by Iran's Revolutionary Guards on a US naval vessel.
Among them was the 240-metre tanker Riesco, which caught fire and later sank.
Moreland said the vessel is a likely source of one of the suspected pollution trails, noting that its final tracking signal corresponds with the apparent starting point of the slick closest to the Iranian coast.
Monitoring continues
The extent and environmental impact of the suspected leaks remain unclear, with further analysis expected in the coming days.
Authorities and monitoring organisations are continuing to examine satellite data as concerns grow over potential ecological damage in one of the world's most strategically significant shipping routes.
