Hormuz Under Fire: Three Tanker Attacks Rock Critical Shipping Lane
Three separate attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have occurred since September 16, as Saudi Arabia is forced to send more oil back through the waterway due to damage to its East-West Pipeline.
UK Maritime Trade Operations issued three attack warnings, including two tankers struck by projectiles and another security incident near Khasab, Oman. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy claimed responsibility for one of the attacks, saying it struck the Togo-flagged tanker Trend after accusing it of attempting an unauthorized transit.
The incidents add to a broader pattern of violence in the region, with UKMTO reporting that the southern Omani route has become the highest-risk corridor through Hormuz. The route has accounted for 22 of 35 projectile strikes since July 6, with engine rooms hit in 24 of those incidents.