KEY POINTS
- Iranian media report that two tankers and a tugboat caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.
- One tanker reportedly struck a mine, while the cause of the second fire remains unclear.
- BBC Verify analysis shows 12 vessels reported attacks between Oct. 5 and 11, the highest weekly total since the US-Israeli war with Iran began.
- A container ship, GFS Pride, sank after being struck by an unidentified projectile on Tuesday.
- Rising attacks have slowed the recovery in oil shipments through the strategic waterway.
MAIN STORY
Two tankers and a tugboat have caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported on Thursday, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as attacks on commercial vessels in and around the strategic waterway continue to increase.
The Fars news agency reported that one of the tankers struck a mine, although it did not provide details about what caused the second tanker to catch fire.
The report said a tugboat approached the vessels to assist with firefighting but subsequently caught fire itself. The reports could not immediately be independently verified.
The latest incident comes amid a rise in attacks on shipping in the region, with BBC Verify’s analysis of data from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) showing that 12 vessels reported attacks between Oct. 5 and 11.
That was the highest number of weekly attacks reported to the maritime agency since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. The preceding week recorded 10 vessels reporting attacks, while six incidents were reported on the Sunday within the Oct. 5 to 11 period, marking a one-day high.
The figures are based on incident reports published by UKMTO and compiled by BBC Verify. The timeline is approximate because some reports use the date an attack occurred, while others use the date it was reported.
The growing number of incidents has also affected the recovery in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz recorded last month, according to industry data cited in the report.
Experts say Iran has been attacking vessels to assert greater control over the waterway, as the US military increases the number of tankers it escorts through the southern part of the strait to reduce their exposure to Iranian strikes.
The attacks have also extended beyond the immediate waterway. One of Sunday’s reported incidents involved the Nicaragua-flagged tanker Petro Dolphin, which was filmed on fire by the crew of a nearby smaller boat.
Maritime intelligence firm Vanguard said the vessel was struck by a drone near the Sohar Anchorage in Oman, more than 250 kilometres from the Strait of Hormuz.
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India said 11 Indian seafarers were rescued, while two remained missing.
Another vessel, the container ship GFS Pride, sank on Tuesday after being struck by an unidentified projectile in the strait. Its 21 crew members were safely evacuated.
The IRGC subsequently released footage appearing to show the same vessel sinking. It claimed the ship was carrying “2,500 containers of contraband” and had taken an “unauthorised route”.
Despite the attacks, the US military’s Central Command said commercial shipping was continuing through the strait with protection coordinated by US forces and regional partners.
THE ISSUES
The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil and gas shipments, making disruptions to commercial shipping a concern for energy markets and countries that depend on supplies passing through the waterway.
The increase in reported attacks is occurring alongside efforts by the US military to help vessels navigate the strait. US Navy data cited in the report showed that the number of vessels assisted during the first 10 days of October was 85 per cent higher than in the same period in August.
The security situation has also affected how oil is transported from Gulf Arab states. A growing proportion of shipments has been moved through a shuttle arrangement in which smaller tankers load oil, pass through the strait and transfer their cargo to larger vessels in the Gulf of Oman.
These shuttle vessels use a route close to Oman’s coastline. Iran has described the route as unauthorised and insists that ships use an alternative passage closer to its own coast.
The disagreement over shipping routes adds another dimension to the security risks facing vessels operating in the region.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Commercial traffic continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz with co-ordinated protection from U.S. forces and regional partners.” – US Central Command.
“2,500 containers of contraband.” – Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, describing the reported cargo aboard GFS Pride.
WHAT’S NEXT
The immediate concern is whether the latest reported fires will be followed by further attacks on commercial vessels and whether shipping operators can maintain safe passage through the strait.
The continuation of US-backed protection efforts and the dispute over the routes vessels should use will remain important factors in the movement of oil shipments through the region.
BOTTOM LINE
The reported fires involving two tankers and a tugboat come as attacks on commercial vessels around the Strait of Hormuz reach levels not previously recorded during the current conflict. With shipping routes under pressure and oil movements affected, the security of the waterway remains a major concern for global energy trade.
