Record high in reported ship attacks near Strait of Hormuz as oil exports slow
Twelve vessels reported attacks in the week to 11 October, the most since the US-Israeli war with Iran began, as oil flows through the strait fell below September levels.
At a glance
- Twelve ships reported attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz from 5 to 11 October, a record weekly total, UKMTO data shows.
- Oil flows through the strait fell to about 12.6 million barrels a day on 13 October, down from 15 million at the end of September.
- Experts say Iran has widened attacks beyond the strait, with a tanker struck more than 500km away north of Qatar.
A record 12 ships reported being attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz in the week to 11 October, the largest weekly total recorded by the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) since the US-Israeli war with Iran began, according to BBC Verify analysis of the agency's data.
Six of the vessels were struck on a single day, Sunday, a one-day high, the UKMTO reported. Ten ships had reported attacks the previous week, and four more have been reported so far this week.
As strikes have increased, the recovery in oil shipments through the strait seen in September has slowed. Data from the trade intelligence firm Kpler shows about 12.6 million barrels per day passed through the strait on 13 October, down from 15 million at the end of September and well below the pre-war baseline of roughly 17 million barrels per day.
Attacks spread beyond the strait
Experts say Tehran has been attacking ships to assert greater control over the waterway, while the US military has increased the number of tankers it shepherds through the south of the strait to avoid Iranian strikes. US Navy data indicates that the number of vessels given assistance to navigate the strait in the first 10 days of October was 85% higher than in the same period in August.
Most oil shipped from Gulf Arab states recently has moved under a "shuttle" system, in which tankers sail through the strait and transfer cargo to larger vessels in the Gulf of Oman, using a route close to Oman's coastline. Iran calls that route "unauthorised" and says vessels should take an alternative closer to its own shore. Iranian exports themselves have stalled because of the US blockade of Iranian ports and ships.
Iran is also attacking vessels further from the Strait of Hormuz, according to experts. Verified footage showed the Nicaragua-flagged tanker Petro Dolphin on fire after a drone strike near the Sohar Anchorage in Oman, more than 250km (150 miles) from the strait, according to the maritime intelligence firm Vanguard. The Forward Seamen's Union of India said 11 Indian seafarers were rescued and two remain missing.
A tanker was struck by multiple projectiles north of Qatar on 8 October, more than 500km (310 miles) away, with multiple reported casualties, Vanguard said. Another tanker was attacked near the UAE town of Al-Jazirah al-Hamra on 9 October.
On Tuesday, the container ship GFS Pride sank in the strait after being hit by an unknown projectile; all 21 crew were safely evacuated. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps published footage of what appeared to be the same ship sinking and said it was carrying "2,500 containers of contraband" on an "unauthorised route".
The IRGC's navy has said strikes would not be "limited to the Strait of Hormuz" and announced a "new deployment formation" across the region, state media reported. Martin Kelly, chief executive of Orbital Risk Intelligence, told BBC Verify that Iran had "evolved its strategy" and was carrying out "near daily or multiple attacks every single day", adding: "The aim here is to stop the ships going through and to deter others."
The US military's Central Command said that despite the attacks, "commercial traffic continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz with co-ordinated protection from US forces and regional partners".
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- How many ships have been attacked near the Strait of Hormuz?
- The UKMTO received reports from 12 vessels in the week to 11 October, the highest weekly figure since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. Six ships were struck on a single day, a one-day high.
- Why is Iran attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz?
- Experts say Tehran is seeking greater control over the waterway as the US military escorts more tankers through the south of the strait. Iran has also carried out attacks on vessels further away, including in the Gulf of Oman.
- Has oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz been affected?
- Yes. About 12.6 million barrels a day passed through the strait on 13 October, below the 15 million reported at the end of September and the pre-war baseline of some 17 million.
