Gulf states find land routes to circumvent Iran attacks on Hormuz shipping

Gulf states are opening new land routes to ensure supplies reach their countries and exports continue, amid Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, as governments stress they have enough water, food, and medicine stockpiles to last months.

Oman and the Emirate of Dubai said that a "green corridor" had been activated as a temporary measure to facilitate the movement of supplies to avoid the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

The strategic waterway has been largely shut off since the war began on 28 February and multiple vessels trying to cross it have been attacked. Tehran has warned countries siding in the conflict with its enemies will not be allowed access.

Iran's ability to choke off traffic through the strait, the conduit for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, has emerged as a major threat to the global economy.

The "green corridor" will see a land route opened between Oman and the UAE to sustain the flow of goods and ease pressure on regional supply chains, Oman Observer reported on Sunday.

Announced on 14 March, the measure intends to "ensure the smooth handling of shipments that have been redirected to Omani ports under exceptional circumstances".

The Gulf was immediately drawn into the Middle East war when the US and Israel began striking Iran more than two weeks ago. Tehran has retaliated by targeting what it claims are American and Israeli interests in the six Gulf states, but has extended well beyond hitting US bases in the region.

Drone and missile attacks have hit civilian infrastructure in the Gulf and beyond, including vital ports, airports, oil refineries, ships and other sites.

The Gulf has slammed Iran for these aggressions and urged it to halt its attacks on the region, but have vowed that they will not respond to Iran in kind to prevent further escalation.

In light of the attacks on critical infrastructure, the oil and gas-rich states have reassured their populations that they had secure food, water and energy supplies despite the war.

Under the deal, containers originally destined for Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port will instead arrive at ports in Oman and be permitted quick access to the UAE city via land transport after finalising necessary procedures in the Sultanate.

This mechanism would reduce delays and provide a streamlined channel for logistics operators handling diverted cargo, Oman Observer says. It added that certain air cargo shipments originally destined for Dubai airports will also be redirected through Oman.

There have also been new land routes from the Gulf to the Levant for supplies, with the Jordan-Syria border seeing a massive uptick in cargo traffic since the US-Israeli war on Iran began.

This has seen huge queues at the Al-Nassib border crossing, with lorries having to wait up to three days to go through procedures.

Syria and Jordan signed an emergency deal on Thursday to operate the crossing 24-hours a day, to cope with the hundreds of lorries waiting at the border.

Gulf states have also stressed that they have ample supplies inside their countries to weather the storm, as ships avoid the Strait of Hormuz due to the threats posed by Iranian rockets.

Qatar said this weekend that they have water reserves to last four months and food for 18 months, and that the government has not had to tap into these supplies yet, and storage is continuing to be enhanced.

The UAE has also posted messages assuring citizens and residents that the country is well-stocked and supplied.

Fresh attacks

Oil storage facilities in Oman’s Duqm and Salalah ports have been hit in drone attacks, but the UAE has borne the brunt of the conflict and has been subjected to thousands more strikes.

Iran’s armed forces have issued evacuation orders for UAE ports and other residential areas, claiming the presence of American forces or that these sites were used to launch attacks on Iran.

The UAE’s Fujairah Port, a key oil export hub outside the Strait of Hormuz, came under attack again on Monday after a similar strike a day earlier.

Videos shared online show flames and a large plume of black smoke billowing into the sky after the Monday morning strike.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi also confirmed on Monday that a Palestinian national was killed after a rocket landed on his car in the city’s Al-Bahya area. This raises the death toll in the Gulf state to six since the war started.

In Oman, three people have been killed, although Muscat has so far refused to attribute blame.