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

What the report says

BBC Verify says attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz reached a weekly record in the seven days to 11 October, with 12 vessels reporting strikes to the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations agency. The report, published by BBC World News, says that level is the highest weekly total since the US-Israeli war with Iran began, and follows 10 reported attacks the previous week. It also notes a one-day peak of six attacks on Sunday, with four more incidents reported so far this week.

The article says the rise in attacks has come alongside a slowdown in the recovery of oil shipments through the waterway. Using trade intelligence data, BBC Verify reports that flows through the strait fell to about 12.6 million barrels a day on 13 October, down from 15 million at the end of September and below a pre-war baseline of about 17 million barrels a day. The piece says more shipping is now moving through the area with added protection and through a shuttle system that transfers cargo in the Gulf of Oman.

BBC Verify also highlights several recent incidents beyond the narrowest part of the strait. These include a tanker fire near Oman and the sinking of the container ship GFS Pride after a strike in the strait, with crew evacuated. The report says experts see the pattern as part of Iran’s effort to pressure shipping and assert control over the route, while the US military says commercial traffic is still moving with coordinated protection from US and regional partners. Background on the shipping lane: the Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies.