Iran Expands Strait Of Hormuz Surveillance, Strikes Merchant Ships And Tankers

Hormuz surveillance escalates

Iran’s military expanded its surveillance of the Strait of Hormuz by deploying new units to target ships, as Tehran and Washington fought over control of the waterway. Iran’s navy said the units would maintain “real time surveillance of enemy activities and maritime traffic in the region” and warned vessels not to switch off their transponders while coordinating with Iranian armed forces for safe passage. An Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran started using different offensive tactics against vessels it considered in violation of its restrictions about 10 days ago, and the official said that change led to an increase in attacks.

Kpler data cited by Al Jazeera said 10 tankers were struck in the strait between September 28 and October 4, followed by another strike on October 5, while UKMTO recorded 15 other attacks between October 6 and October 14. The US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center said the threat to merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz remained “severe”, the second-highest level, and it described “attempted attacks, and/or harassment activity” including UAV overflight and targeted surveillance.

Reporting for this sectionAl Jazeera

GFS Pride sinks

A Singapore-flagged container ship, the GFS Pride, sank in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile and catching fire, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said all 21 crew members were safely evacuated with no injuries reported. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said, “Such attacks are unprovoked, unjustifiable and a breach of international law,” after the incident. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed early Wednesday that a container ship exploded and sank after hitting a naval mine, and Marisks said the claim was consistent with “an ongoing psychological operations campaign aimed at generating fear, increasing uncertainty and discouraging commercial shipping.”

GFS Pride sinks2 of 3 outlets reported it · not in The Jerusalem Post▾

The GFS Pride sank while sailing through the strait, and Reuters described the vessel as a small container vessel with a capacity of 2,824 20-foot equivalent units (TEU). Reuters also reported that the Cape Dao sank close to the strait after being hit by a projectile on September 23, and it said one crew member was killed while the rest were evacuated.

Reporting for this sectionCNBC

Control claims and shipping risk

CENTCOM said “American forces and regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz,” rejecting claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy that the waterway remained under Iranian control.

Iran said it was stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month, and Reuters linked the escalation to an effort to tighten Tehran’s grip on the waterway.

Al Jazeera said the increased attacks and their impact on energy flows demonstrated the fragility of the strait as a key pathway for oil exports, and it cited a fall in oil transit after crude flows had risen back to pre-war levels in September.

Crude oil exports through Hormuz averaged 8.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in the week ended Oct. 12, nearly 40% below normal levels before the Iran war, and CNBC said shipments from the entire region stood at 14 million bpd.

UK Maritime Trade Operations reported at least five incidents including drone strikes in the previous 48 hours, and a maritime security source told The Guardian, “There is a tempo increase in strikes, which looks deliberate.”

Reporting for this sectiongCaptainThe Guardian