The high number of attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz has caused reporting issues for the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). In its recent weekly assessment, the organization stated that "it is having difficulty accurately reporting the actual number of attacks" and warned that most of the attacked vessels refrain from reporting these incidents.
Statistics on Attacks and Casualties
Since the onset of tensions on February 28, UKMTO has recorded approximately 135 incidents related to the Iran-U.S. conflict, including 114 reports of damage to vessels and 76 casualties. In the recent weekly assessment, 12 attacks were recorded, 10 of which occurred in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Arabian Gulf, and another in the Gulf of Oman. Among the involved vessels, one has been lost, two have lost their capabilities, and three have an unclear status.
Read more: Escalation of Yemen and Saudi Arabia Conflicts Centered on the Strait of Hormuz and Oil Tankers
Continued Violence and Impact on Oil Transport
Violence has continued over the weekend, with attacks spreading beyond the Strait of Hormuz. On Friday, the VLCC ST3 tanker was struck by an unknown project approximately 68 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, resulting in a fire in the engine room and loss of power. All 15 Indian crew members on board were safely transferred to a container ship under the UAE flag.
Later that same day, another tanker was attacked by a grenade launcher from a small boat approximately 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail. This project caused damage to the rear section of the ship, but all crew members have been reported safe. Additionally, on Sunday, a tugboat was struck by two unknown projects 20 nautical miles northeast of Khor Fakkan, resulting in one crew member sustaining minor injuries.
Despite these unusual acts of violence, oil exports continue. Signal Ocean data indicates that approximately 13.9 million barrels of crude oil and 2.3 million barrels of petroleum products pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily. Scandinavian bank SEB stated in a recent report that the disruptions are more viewed as a "risk premium story" rather than a blockage of export volumes.
Read more: Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia to Pressure Mohammed bin Salman · Attack on LNG Tanker in the Gulf of Aden Due to Boat Gunfire
