Oil tanker struck in Strait of Hormuz, says Indian ports minister

An oil tanker, the MT ST 3, carrying 15 Indian crew members was hit by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to Indian Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. All the Indian citizens on board were reported safe and uninjured. The minister stated that his office was in constant communication with the ship's management companies to ensure the safety and well-being of the crew.

In a separate incident earlier this month, a vessel owned by Dubai's Onex Shipping was also attacked in the strait, resulting in injuries to 12 crew members, including 11 Indians. Additionally, a Singapore-registered container ship, the GFS Pride, caught fire and sank in the strait after being struck by an unidentified projectile, leading to the safe evacuation of all 21 crew members without any reported injuries.

These incidents underscore the heightened risks to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane for global energy supplies, due to the escalating US-Iran conflict. The number of attacks on vessels in the waterway has reached a record high, with at least two ships being sunk. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been using drones, missiles, and sea mines to disrupt shipping and increase oil prices, aiming to economically pressure the United States.