By Burnett Munthali

A suspected oil spill covering tens of square kilometers has been detected west of Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal, according to satellite images captured by Copernicus Sentinel-1, -2, and -3.

The images, taken between May 6 and May 8, show a gray-and-white slick spreading across the waters, visually consistent with oil.

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The spill is estimated to cover an area of approximately 45 square kilometers, making it potentially the largest oil spill since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran roughly 70 days ago.

Researchers Leon Moreland and Louis Goddard, who analyzed the images, suggest the slick’s shape and appearance are indicative of oil.

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The cause and source of the suspected leak remain unclear, with no signs of an active ongoing discharge as of May 8.

Kharg Island handles nearly 90% of Iran’s oil exports, most of which are shipped to China, making it a critical location for global energy supplies.

The island has been a target of military action earlier in the conflict, with US forces previously striking military targets there.

The ongoing war has disrupted energy flows across the Gulf, leaving hundreds of vessels stranded and contributing to significant interruptions in global crude supplies.

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Iran has continued to load oil onto supertankers at Kharg Island despite a growing US naval blockade, with satellite images showing vessels anchored and awaiting loading.

The US has turned back nearly three dozen Iranian vessels since the blockade began, and analysts estimate Iran could keep producing oil at its current rate for another two months before being forced to cut output.