How a major oil slick started washing up on Iran's beaches

BBC Verify reports that a major oil slick washing up on Iran’s Qeshm Island likely originated from an attack on the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Minoan Pioneer near Oman on 3 August. Satellite imagery and verified videos show the spill expanding across the Strait of Hormuz, covering more than 300 sq km by 10 August and reaching beaches in southern Qeshm. The incident highlights the risk that escalating attacks on shipping in the strait pose to a waterway that carries about a fifth of global oil and gas trade. Environmental experts warn the spill could harm mangroves, coral habitats, turtles and fishing communities, while also underscoring the broader operational and geopolitical risk to energy transport through the region.