Ship Attacks in Strait of Hormuz Hit 37, Highest Since War Began

Last month, 37 ship attacks occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway between Iran and Oman, in a single month — the highest monthly count since the Iran war broke out in February this year. The figures were compiled by UK maritime data firm Lloyd's List Intelligence on the 13th (local time). Attacks have continued into this month (November) as well, with at least 14 ship attacks confirmed according to Lloyd's data.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced on the 13th that a vessel carrying liquefied gas collided with a naval mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz, causing a major explosion. Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz and continues to attack ships that lack its authorization.

Despite the risk of attacks, traffic through the strait actually increased. A total of 418 non-Iranian tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz last month, the highest monthly figure on record. Lloyd's analyzed that "shipping traffic levels through the Strait of Hormuz are recovering, but have not yet normalized."

The Strait of Hormuz is a natural waterway, and under international law no specific country can restrict passage through it.