A fragile ecosystem is under immediate threat
The Strait of Hormuz, the only sea lane connecting the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is home to a rich and unique ecosystem that includes coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass, as well as dolphins, sea turtles, and many species of fish. In this context, environmental experts have warned that oil spills may cause mass deaths of birds and fish, cause severe damage to the roots of mangrove trees, in addition to polluting marine sediments and beaches. The seriousness of this situation is exacerbated by the high temperatures and shallowness of the Gulf’s waters, which makes its coral reefs and marine organisms more fragile and vulnerable to climate change and pollution.
In statements reported by The Guardian newspaper, marine biologist Bernhard Riegel, who has been studying the Gulf environment for more than 30 years, warned that the ongoing war would leave long-term environmental damage, stressing that military operations cannot be “clean,” whether for humans or for the environment in which they take place.
More than 500 oil spill incidents and escalating attacks
According to Greenpeace, more than 500 cases of oil spills have been detected in the waters of the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Arabian Sea since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28. The cumulative area of the observed oil spills amounted to about 20,000 square kilometers, an area approximately equivalent to the area of British Wales. The organization also documented more than 133 attacks on oil tankers during the same period, with October being the deadliest month with more than 30 confirmed or reported attacks recorded in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters.
One of the most prominent incidents recorded was the targeting of the giant tanker “Gem No 2” off the coast of the Emirates, which led to the formation of an oil slick that extended for more than 35 kilometers. Another attack on a tanker off the Sultanate of Oman in June caused an oil spill that, at its peak, covered an area of more than 600 square kilometers.
This marine pollution extended to highly sensitive coastal and environmental areas. It includes mangrove forests on Hara Island, and the Iranian Shidwar Island, which includes coral reefs and nesting areas for turtles and seabirds, as well as Qeshm Island, and areas near Musandam National Park in Oman, and the Minab River Delta in Iran.
Reports indicate that it is difficult to accurately determine who is responsible for all the attacks and leaks, despite repeated accusations against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard of being behind most of the attacks, while US forces targeted Iranian tankers and ships as part of the ongoing naval confrontations. According to the Wall Street Journal, the largest oil spill was linked to a strike carried out by the UAE Air Force that targeted oil storage tanks on the Iranian island of Lawan.
Environmental damage extending for decades and concerns for future generations
Although some countries in the region are seeking to contain the crisis – by closing Emirati beaches, carrying out cleaning and monitoring operations for water desalination plants, and sending specialized teams and equipment to pollution sites in Oman – experts confirm that dealing with the widespread damage remains an extremely difficult task. Oil does not disappear once visible stains are removed from the surface of the water, but rather remains suspended for long periods in marine sediments, beaches and mangrove roots, threatening the marine food chain and coastal communities that depend primarily on fishing.
These warnings are based on historical experiences in the Gulf region. Studies have proven that the devastating effects of oil spills that occurred during the Iran-Iraq War and the First Gulf War are still present today. Deposits of tar were observed on the beaches of Qatar dating back to the period of the Gulf War, while a study conducted in 2022 revealed the continued contamination of the sediments of Saudi Arabia’s Abu Ali Island with leaked oil between 1983 and 1985, when about 80 million gallons of crude oil leaked into the sea.
Scientists warn that organisms inhabiting sand and sediments, including sea turtles that bury their eggs on beaches, will remain vulnerable to poisoning and pollution even after the visible oil spills disappear. The Guardian newspaper concludes in its report that this widespread oil pollution in the Gulf may turn into a structural environmental crisis whose repercussions extend over generations, warning of the risk of losing rare natural systems that may be impossible to compensate for in the future.
