A commercial ship caught fire on Friday in the Persian Gulf due to a projectile strike. This event is the second attack on ships in the past three days and a sign of escalating violence beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
Details of the Attack
According to information received from various sources, this incident occurred around 1000 UTC, approximately 13 nautical miles west of Jazeera Island, United Arab Emirates. Following the attack, a fire broke out on the ship, which was subsequently extinguished. The condition of the crew and the extent of damage to the ship, as well as any environmental impact, are still unclear.
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Investigations and Consequences
Officials are investigating this incident, and the name of the ship and responsibility for the attack have not yet been publicly identified. This attack follows an attack on October 7 on a tanker near the shores of Qatar, indicating a significant geographical shift in the occurrence of attacks on ships. While most violence has been concentrated towards the southern route of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, these new attacks show that ships within the Persian Gulf are also at risk.
Maritime security analysts, particularly Martin Kelly, have stated that the October 7 attack on a ship near Qatar is considered the first Iranian attack on a ship within the Persian Gulf since September 9. On that day, two ships were attacked at separate locations within the Persian Gulf. The HERCULES STAR (IMO 9916135) was struck approximately 24 nautical miles northwest of Port Rashid, United Arab Emirates, resulting in the deaths of two sailors, while the NEW ANDROS (IMO 9294252) was attacked about 28 nautical miles southeast of Al Faw, Iraq.
Increase in Attacks and Impact on Commercial Traffic
These attacks represent a new geographical expansion of violence, and since late September, attacks on commercial ships have accelerated. In a weekly maritime security report released on Friday, UKMTO documented 11 attacks in the seven days leading up to October 7, including 10 in the Strait of Hormuz and one in the Arabian Gulf. Of the 59 incidents related to commercial ships since July 6, 41 occurred in the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is slowly improving. In its latest weekly reporting period, UKMTO recorded 275 inbound and outbound transits, up from 247 the previous week and 239 three weeks ago. However, this traffic is still about 75 percent lower than pre-conflict levels.
Recent attacks have raised further concerns for commercial operators who are considering returning to normal maritime activities in the region. While most focus has been on securing passage through Hormuz, incidents close to Qatar and the UAE indicate that ships within the Persian Gulf are also at risk. UKMTO has also urged ships to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity.
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