Strait of Hormuz attacks surge as Iran steps up campaign against US-backed oil shipping
At least 12 tankers have been attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz in the past week, maritime agency reports show, as Iran increases its campaign to halt US-backed efforts to move oil through the vital waterway. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency issued delayed reports yesterday covering six vessels struck on Sunday – five tankers and a container ship. Five incidents occurred in the…
In a recent escalation, at least 12 tankers have been targeted in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz over the past week, according to reports from the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. The attacks, part of Iran's intensified campaign against US-backed oil shipping, have raised concerns about the security of vital transit lanes.
Five tankers and a container ship were struck within the strait, while one vessel near Oman's Sohar anchorage was targeted by a drone. The Sohar incident was initially deemed suspicious but has since been reclassified as an attack after confirming a drone strike on a tanker. Thankfully, crew members were safely evacuated in all cases.
The surge in attacks follows a series of attempted assaults and harassment of commercial vessels, indicating Iran's intention to assert control over key transit routes. The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Centre warns that Iran aims to maintain pressure on transiting vessels. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has even threatened to strike any tanker ignoring the strait's security rules.
Despite these threats, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintains that commercial oil flows have largely resumed, emphasizing that Iran has lost control over the Strait of Hormuz.
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