Attacks on commercial vessels and oil tankers in and around the Strait of Hormuz have reached their highest level since the conflict between the United States and Iran began eight months ago, according to shipping data showing a sharp escalation in targeting maritime traffic in the area. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency recorded more than 23 attacks in the region since the beginning of October.
Attacks escalate and two ships sink in the Strait of Hormuz
Since last Sunday, at least 10 ships have come under attack inside or near the Strait of Hormuz, the highest figure recorded since the start of the war. The intensification of attacks on shipping in recent days has led to two ships sinking, amid severe disruption to global energy supplies.
One of the ships that sank in the Strait of Hormuz was the container ship GFS Pride, on 14 October 2026, a vessel that had been seen in Rozenburg in the Netherlands before it sank. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said on Wednesday that two Singapore-registered container ships had been hit by unidentified projectiles. The authority said one of the ships sank as a result of the impact, while the other was damaged.
In another incident near the waterway, the International Maritime Organization reported that a ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda had sunk, as part of a series of incidents targeting commercial vessels and oil tankers in and around the Strait of Hormuz. As the attacks escalated, US President Donald Trump renewed his threat against Iran on Wednesday, warning that he would launch a heavy strike against it.
He said his patience with Tehran had run out and that the United States would take action against it. During an election rally in Alaska, Trump said: “Wait and see what we do to Iran. We will teach them a lesson; we are going to land a heavy strike on it.” He added: “Wait and see what we do, because we have really had enough of it.”
