A vessel operating in the Gulf approximately 500 kilometers west of the strait of Hormuz reported being attacked by multiple projectiles, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations authority on Wednesday. The incident resulted in an unspecified number of casualties. The attack occurred as Iran announced plans to restrict additional transit routes through the strait deemed illegal by Tehran, specifically targeting a southern passage along Oman’s coast that the country claims is used for unauthorized oil transfers.
Tanker strikes in and around the strait of Hormuz reached their highest weekly frequency since the conflict began, with maritime security firms documenting at least 12 attacks on oil and gas carriers in the week ending October 5. A Panama-flagged vessel transiting the strait reported 12 crew members injured in a separate incident on Tuesday. These attacks, along with drone surveillance and harassment operations by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, have persisted as part of broader maritime disruptions in the region.
Iranian officials have characterized their control over the waterway as absolute, while disputing claims about the volume of crude flowing through Hormuz. An adviser to the Revolutionary Guards stated that alternative routes had been created through damage to natural passages and were being used for smuggling operations. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered these assertions, indicating that petroleum flows had rebounded to near pre-war levels and that Iran had lost effective control of the strait.
The ongoing tensions are reflected in global energy markets, with Brent crude reaching above $100 per barrel as supply concerns mount. The US has established a counter-blockade of Iranian ports and maintains a naval presence in the region, with reports indicating that three aircraft carriers could be positioned in the area by the end of October. The strait serves as a critical conduit for approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
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