The container ship "GFS Pride," registered in Singapore, was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. According to a statement from the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority, the ship caught fire after the attack, but all crew members were evacuated, and there were no reports of injuries.
Sinking of Ships
In another incident, the International Maritime Organization reported that a bulk carrier that was attacked last month sank on Wednesday. Additionally, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that another container ship sank after hitting a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. Few details have been provided about this incident, and it is unclear whether this ship was the "GFS Pride" or not.
Read more: The number of damaged oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz has reached six
Increase in Attacks
Iran's attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters have sharply increased in recent days. According to data from the British Maritime Trade Operations and international maritime security sources, at least 14 incidents of attacks, attempts to attack, and obstruction of vessels passing through this strait and its surrounding waters have been recorded in the past week. October is considered one of the most violent months in this waterway since the start of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran.
The U.S. has attempted to encourage more ships to pass through this dangerous route to reduce oil prices, which has been somewhat successful. However, despite the escalation of violence, very few commercial vessels have been disabled due to these attacks, and the number of sunk ships has been even lower. The last recorded sinking of a ship dates back to March.
Impact on Vessel Traffic
The British Maritime Trade Operations reported that three other ships were targeted by Iranian attacks on Tuesday. In total, four vessels were attacked, three of which were container ships. Additionally, the Singapore Port Authority reported damage to the ship "GFS Giselle" on Wednesday, which sustained hull damage but managed to reach a safe anchorage.
Read more: Increase in Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure · Iran's crude oil exports reached zero in September
