Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz at highest level since war began
Ten ships attacked, marking the highest toll since the start of the war.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Security data showed on Wednesday that at least ten ships were attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz since Sunday, marking the highest toll since the outbreak of the war.
According to data from the security firm Vanguard, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), four ships were attacked on Tuesday and six on Sunday, representing the largest number of attacks recorded in a single day since the conflict began.
Iran began targeting commercial ships transiting this vital waterway in March, continuing to attack those that crossed the strait via routes it did not approve.
Twenty-three attacks have been recorded since the beginning of October, nearly double the monthly average of incidents recorded since the war started.
The United States announced on Saturday that it had targeted a cargo ship as part of its sanctions on Iranian ports, but the IMO did not include this incident in its tally of accidents.
Barun Gupta, an analyst at Vanguard, suggested that the recent rise in energy exports, which had returned to nearly pre-war levels in early October before declining again, may be behind the escalation in attacks.
“The flow of oil from the Gulf was recovering, with navigation traffic through the Hormuz Strait finally returning to about 80% of pre-war levels, despite the ongoing conflict,” Gupta told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.
He added, “Therefore, the increased frequency of attacks allows Tehran to demonstrate that it can still disrupt this recovery and impose costs on commercial shipping and global energy markets.”
He noted that Trump’s commitment last week not to launch further attacks on Iran before the U.S. midterm elections could be another factor, giving Tehran “a perceived opportunity to increase pressure with a reduced risk of immediate U.S. military escalation.”
According to the IMO, approximately 24 sailors have died due to incidents in the area near the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.
