Whitehall is rattled. UK intelligence has confirmed Iran is running oil tanker convoys that bypass the American naval blockade in the Persian Gulf. The game of cat and mouse just got real.
Sources say the tankers use a cocktail of tactics: disabled AIS transmitters, night sailing, and coordination with IRGC speedboats. The US Navy is stretched. The Strait of Hormuz remains a chokepoint, but Tehran has proven adept at using smaller vessels for ship-to-ship transfers in territorial waters.
One official described it as 'a leaky sieve.' The intelligence report, circulated last week, warns the convoys are part of a wider strategy to test NATO resolve. Boris Johnson's government is caught in a bind.
Publicly, they support the US. Privately, many in the Foreign Office worry about escalation. The tankers are often flagged to Panama or Tanzania, making interdiction legally murky.
Meanwhile, oil prices are creeping up. This is not just about barrels. It is about credibility.
If Iran can break the blockade, the entire sanctions regime unravels. Backbench MPs are already asking questions. Expect a tense debate in the Commons next week.
The PM's honeymoon is over.
