The U. S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has created dangers for Gulf ports and has affected global trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have indicated that they will target any ship passing through the strait.
Since the war began on February 28, there have been numerous reported attacks on various vessels. On March 1, a crew member was killed on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD VYOM after being struck by a projectile near Oman. Another tanker, the Gibraltar-flagged Hercules Star, was also attacked northwest of UAE. A Palau-flagged tanker experienced an attack in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to an evacuation of its crew.
On March 2, the U. S.-flagged tanker Stena Imperative was hit by projectiles in Bahrain, causing a fire and an evacuation. On March 3, the Marshall Islands tanker Libra Trader and the Panama-flagged Gold Oak were slightly damaged near Fujairah. The next day, the Maltese container ship Safeen Prestige was damaged while traveling north in the strait, resulting in a fire and an evacuation.
On March 5, the crude oil tanker Sonangol Namibe was struck while moored near Iraq, reportedly by an Iranian remote-controlled explosive boat. A tugboat was hit on March 6 while working near Safeen Prestige. On March 7, a possible drone strike affected crew members but did not lead to any casualties.
On March 11, the Thailand-flagged carrier Mayuree Naree suffered an attack in the Strait, prompting an evacuation, while the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty and the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth sustained minor damage from projectiles with the crews unharmed.
With information from Reuters
