Three vessels sailing near the coast of Iran were hit by projectiles, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) on Wednesday, marking the latest in a series of incidents reported in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
One of the ships said it was struck about 11 nautical miles north of Oman within the Strait of Hormuz. The attack reportedly triggered a fire onboard, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the UKMTO said.
Two additional incidents were recorded on Wednesday morning. One ship was hit by a projectile roughly 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, while another vessel sustained damage near the coastline of the United Arab Emirates.
The UKMTO advised ships operating in the region to proceed carefully and to immediately report any suspicious activity as investigations into the incidents continue.
Shipping through the crucial Strait of Hormuz has nearly come to a halt since United States and Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran has since responded by targeting vessels attempting to pass through the strategic waterway, with several attacks reported in recent days.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow but vital maritime route linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Around 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments typically travel through this corridor.
Meanwhile, the United States Central Command said American forces sank several Iranian vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, including 16 ships believed to be minelayers.
The statement followed remarks by Donald Trump, the President of the United States, who warned that if Iran had deployed mines in the waterway, “we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!”
According to the UKMTO, a total of 17 incidents involving ships in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman have been reported between Feb. 28, when the conflict began, and March 11. These include 13 confirmed attacks and four reports of suspicious activity.
Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at the risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, said Iran’s swift and widespread retaliation against shipping, energy facilities, ports and economic infrastructure has severely disrupted global supply chains.
He added that overnight attacks on vessels around the Strait of Hormuz demonstrate that Iran remains a significant threat to maritime shipping in the region.