OMM Redaksiyası
Iranian attacks on vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest daily pace since the war with the United States began on Feb. 28, with six ships targeted in one day, according to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) and international maritime security sources.
More than 18 commercial vessels were targeted during the first 12 days of October, including six on Monday. Between Oct. 5 and 12, at least 14 attacks, attempted attacks and interceptions involving ships were recorded in and around the strait, the sources said.
UKMTO data and statements by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) indicate a rise in attacks on commercial shipping since clashes between Tehran and Washington resumed in July.
At least 12 attacks on oil tankers and cargo ships were recorded in July, while at least 10 vessels were targeted in August. Those incidents included attacks on oil and liquefied natural gas tankers off the UAE port of Fujairah and Oman’s Sohar.
The number rose to 18 vessels in September, as the United States and Gulf countries increasingly used ship-to-ship transfers, with smaller vessels carrying oil before it was loaded onto larger tankers in safer areas.
The IRGC described its operations as targeting “illegal oil smuggling and an attempt to break the Hormuz blockade”. It broadened its operations to include supply vessels, tugboats and small tankers in the Gulf.
The IRGC also said some targeted vessels were damaged by explosions after hitting naval mines while sailing “illegally” along routes it considered “unsafe”. Tehran says its expanded operations against shipping are a response to a “US naval blockade”. It has warned vessels against using unapproved routes or transiting the area after switching off navigation and identification systems.
Since April, Iran has restricted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including by designating transit routes and requiring prior coordination with the IRGC Navy. On May 30, Tehran announced that vessels would need the navy’s prior authorization to pass through the strait, warning that transit without permission would constitute a “security threat”.
The developments come amid continued tensions between Iran and the United States over navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for energy and commodity supplies and a key issue in negotiations between the two sides.
The war began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, followed by a ceasefire in April. Clashes between Washington and Tehran later resumed as negotiations stalled, despite the sides signing a memorandum of understanding in June.
