An oil slick extending over more than 50 km² has been spotted in the Gulf off the Iranian island of Kharg, through which 90% of Iranian crude normally passes, according to satellite images released Friday by the CEOBS observatory.
An oil slick was detected in the Gulf off the Iranian island of Kharg, the country’s main oil terminal, according to satellite images released Friday May 8 by the CEOBS observatory. According to this organization based in the United Kingdom, this is one of the largest oil slicks spotted in the Gulf since the start of the Israeli-American offensive against Iran on February 28. The origin of this oil spill is not known, added the CEOBS (Conflict and Environment Observatory) on the X network.
According to theNew York Times (NYT), the slick extended over more than 50 km2 on Thursday, according to satellite images analyzed by the specialist firm Orbital EOS. According to the American daily, «plus 3000 barrels of petroleum» could be found at sea. The island of Kharg, located in the north of the Gulf, is the main Iranian oil terminal, through which 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude normally passes.
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At the end of March, the American president, Donald Trump, threatened «d’anéantir» Kharg Island if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to navigation. Hundreds of ships, including oil tankers, are stuck in the Gulf following this blockage, coupled with an American blockade of Iranian ports. According to CEOBS, the oil slick is drifting south and ‘It seems unlikely that it will be dealt with appropriately’. Kharg Island is a small strip of scrubby land located about 30 km from the Iranian coast and more than 500 km from the Strait of Hormuz.
/2026/05/09/69feea42f41bb666675244.jpg "War in the Middle East: an oil slick of more than 50 km2 detected in the Gulf off the coast of Iran")
