Pakistan, Sept. 13 -- Strait of Hormuz attack reports have sparked fresh concerns about global energy supplies as the Middle East conflict disrupts major shipping routes. The UK Maritime Trade Operations said a projectile struck a vessel travelling through the strategic waterway on Sunday. Officials had not confirmed the damage or the condition of the crew. The report followed Saudi Arabia's temporary closure of its major East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack.

The 1,200-kilometre East-West pipeline crosses the Arabian Peninsula and has become a crucial route for Middle Eastern oil exports. It has carried between four and five million barrels of oil daily, equal to around four to five percent of global supply. The pipeline helped Sa...