United Nations officials reported that maritime security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated significantly during the ongoing conflict, with at least 25 seafarers killed since fighting began in February. Khaled Khiari, the UN’s assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, presented these figures during a Security Council briefing, characterizing the situation as unacceptable and warning against allowing such conditions to persist.
The International Maritime Organization documented 136 security incidents involving vessels in the Hormuz region and broader Middle East between early March and mid-November. October proved to be the most volatile month, registering 35 incidents, while November had recorded 10 incidents by the reporting date. Khiari stressed that civilian vessels and commercial shipping must not be targeted, calling for the full restoration of maritime navigation in the area.
Iranian authorities reported that three oil tankers sustained damage from mines while traversing areas described as unauthorized or restricted within the strait. Iran’s navy issued a warning stating that tankers traveling in restricted zones east of Hormuz would face attack via naval mines. Tehran has conditioned opening the strait on several demands, including the cessation of the US naval blockade, removal of economic sanctions, release of frozen Iranian assets, an end to fighting across all fronts, and formal declaration of war termination by the United States.
The US military maintains that primary shipping routes through the strait have been cleared of mines and remain open for commercial traffic. However, shipping volumes have declined to approximately 65 percent below pre-war levels according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The disruptions carry significant economic ramifications globally, elevating energy, transportation, and insurance expenses while contributing to inflationary pressures and threatening food security due to constrained fertilizer shipments.
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