An explosion on Friday near the Mina Al Fahal crude terminal in Oman has been reported; cause and scale remain unclear but sources say it may have been an alleged drone attack. Oman has served as a back-channel interlocutor in US‑Iran talks, so instability on its territory could affect those negotiations. Mina Al Fahal is in the Gulf of Oman, outside the Persian Gulf, which indicates the risk environment has now visibly spread beyond the Strait of Hormuz to open‑water export infrastructure. The

An explosion on Friday near the Mina Al Fahal crude terminal in Oman has been reported; cause and scale remain unclear but sources say it may have been an alleged drone attack. Oman has served as a back-channel interlocutor in US‑Iran talks, so instability on its territory could affect those negotiations. Mina Al Fahal is in the Gulf of Oman, outside the Persian Gulf, which indicates the risk environment has now visibly spread beyond the Strait of Hormuz to open‑water export infrastructure. The terminal's location, potential impact on crude shipments and proximity to a key diplomatic participant make the incident subject to close scrutiny from energy traders, shipping markets, military analysts and diplomats.