Ship attack reports near Hormuz reach record high as oil exports slow

Ship attacks near Hormuz reach record high as oil exports slow

The full report

The number of ships that have reported being attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz has hit a record high, according to BBC Verify analysis of data from a UK maritime agency. Twelve vessels were attacked between 5 and 11 October, the largest number of weekly strikes reported to the UK's Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency since the US-Israeli war with Iran began. The previous week saw 10 ships reporting attacks. Six of the vessels were struck last Sunday, according to the UKMTO - a one-day high.

As the number of strikes has risen, the recovery in oil shipments through the strait seen last month has slowed, industry data suggests. BBC Verify collated incident reports published by the UKMTO on its website and created a timeline based on the first date cited in each report. This is approximate because some incidents use the date of the attack and some the date on which it was reported.

Experts say Tehran has been attacking ships in an effort to assert greater control over the waterway as the US military has increased the number of tankers it is shepherding through the south of the strait to evade Iranian strikes. Iran is also carrying out more attacks on vessels further away from the Strait of Hormuz, according to experts.

The US military's Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East, posted on social media that despite the attacks "commercial traffic continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz with co-ordinated protection from US forces and regional partners". The aftermath of one of Sunday's six reported attacks was captured in verified footage showing the Nicaragua-flagged tanker Petro Dolphin on fire, as filmed by the crew on a smaller boat nearby.