Attacks on ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz have hit a record high. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said 12 vessels reported attacks in the week ending Oct. 16, 10 of them inside the strait.
One of those ships was lost and two were disabled. UKMTO warned the true number is higher because the "majority of vessels attacked" refuse to report to it. October already has more reported attacks than any month since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began on Feb. 28.
Six ships were hit on Oct. 11 alone, a one-day high, according to BBC Verify. One was the Nicaragua-flagged tanker Petro Dolphin, set on fire by a drone near Oman's Sohar anchorage. Two Indian crew members are missing. Two days later, the Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was struck, caught fire and sank. All 21 crew were evacuated safely.
Satellite image of floating containers and debris where the GFS Pride went down off Oman's Musandam Peninsula, Oct. 14, 2026. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2026)
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed the GFS Pride hit a naval mine. U.S. Central Command called that false and said the ship was hit by a Revolutionary Guard projectile. On Saturday, Iran also said a supertanker had struck a mine, and UKMTO reported a tanker hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired from a small boat off Saudi Arabia.
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said 400 ships and 100 million barrels of oil still moved through the strait last week. "Let me be clear: The Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran," he said, blaming the attacks on Revolutionary Guard "desperation." Brent crude touched $110 a barrel on Friday, its highest level since May.
Photo: U.S. Navy MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters supporting Project Freedom in and near the Strait of Hormuz, April 2026. U.S. Navy photo (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
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