Ship attack reports near Hormuz reach record high as oil exports slow
BBC Verify analysis of data from a UK maritime agency shows 12 vessels were struck in a week.
In the past week, a record number of ship attacks were reported near the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK maritime agency reports. Twelve vessels were attacked between October 5 and 11, the highest weekly count since Iran's conflict with the US and Israel began. Six of those attacks occurred on a single day, Sunday. The number of attacks has slowed the recovery in oil shipments through the strait, as reported by industry data.
Experts suggest that Iran is attacking ships to gain more control over the waterway, as US military forces have increased the number of tankers escorted through the strait to avoid Iranian strikes. Iran has also intensified attacks on vessels farther from the strait. A drone attack on Sunday damaged a Nicaragua-flagged tanker, the Petro Dolphin, off the coast of Oman, with two crew members still missing.
The slowdown in oil exports through the strait has raised concerns. On October 13, about 12.6 million barrels per day passed through the strait, below the 15 million barrels reported at the end of September. This is significantly lower than the pre-war baseline of around 17 million barrels per day.
The increase in attacks coincides with a rise in assistance provided to vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. According to US Navy data, the number of vessels receiving assistance increased by 85% during the first ten days of October compared to the same period in August. Oil shipments from Gulf Arab states have been transported using a "shuttle" system, where smaller tankers load cargo and pass through the strait before transferring to larger ships in the Gulf of Oman.
Iran claims these shuttle routes are unauthorized and insists on alternative routes closer to its coastline.
The attack strategy has evolved, with Iran carrying out near-daily or multiple attacks every day, according to experts. The aim is to stop ships from passing and deter others. Iran's navy has stated that strikes are not limited to the Strait of Hormuz and announced a new deployment formation across the region, according to state media.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
