Iranian forces on 4 January hijacked the South Korean tanker Hankuk Chemi, in an apparent effort to pressurise Seoul into releasing some $7bn in oil-related assets that are frozen for breaching US sanctions. It came just a few days after a thwarted mine attack against the Liberian-flagged tanker MT Pola off the Iraqi port of Basra, following a campaign of intensified mining attacks on tankers in the Red Sea, most recently against vessels discharging oil products at the Saudi ports of Jeddah and Al-Shuqaiq.
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