Two cargo ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after being attacked by unknown projectiles in separate incidents, underscoring the growing danger to ships as Iran steps up attacks to regain control of the vital waterway.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride was struck while transiting the strait on Tuesday, causing a fire and later sinking, the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority said. All crew members were safely evacuated.
Footage reviewed by CNN showed black smoke billowing up as the ship touched down, and subsequent footage and satellite images showed cargo scattered in the water and a small oil slick. Iranian state media Press TV reported that the ship “hit a mine along an unauthorized route,” but experts have cast doubt on this, saying it was likely a drone attack.
The Antigua and Barbuda-registered merchant ship Cape Dao also sank after its first projectile attack on September 23, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday. One Indian crew member was killed.
A number of ships have sunk in the Strait of Hormuz this year, but they are the second and third in the Middle East since the Iran war began in February, according to IMO data. Attacks have increased significantly since the end of September, and the amount of oil being shipped from the Middle East has fallen again, causing oil prices to rise around the world.
Gas prices, tariffs and other factors have made the rising cost of living a top priority for many voters, making it a consistent headache for President Donald Trump as the midterm elections approach.
Data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO), which monitors shipping incidents, shows how high the risks are. Nine attacks, including drone attacks on tankers, have been reported in or near the Strait of Hormuz since Monday.
Just 4.147 million barrels of oil safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, less than a quarter of pre-war levels, according to marine data tracking service Kpler. And the seven-day average of oil flows through Hormuz has fallen sharply since early October, Kpler data shows.
“The sinking of the Singapore-flagged GFS PRIDE marks a dangerous escalation after weeks of near-daily attacks on commercial ships. Although Iran claims sea mines, a drone attack is more likely,” said Charlie Brown, a former U.S. naval officer who is also a senior adviser to the Alliance Against Nuclear Iran, a nonprofit that tracks and reports on Iranian sanctions violations.
“Many are wondering how the U.S. Navy will respond to Iran’s escalating attacks on global shipping,” he added. “But the real question is how other countries will respond. How long will the world tolerate this threat to shipping, seafarers and freedom of navigation?”
The US military continues to blockade Iranian ports to maintain economic pressure on Iran. It worked to a certain extent. Iran’s economy is in tatters, and in recent months it has clearly lost influence over the strait, with the amount of oil flowing through the waterway from other Gulf states increasing to near normal levels.
This is thanks in part to a complex operation involving nighttime crossings of the Channel with U.S. military escort, in which tankers turn off their transponders to avoid detection.
This increase in oil spills is why Iran is currently stepping up its attacks and threats in an effort to regain the influence it once had over the Strait, especially as American voters head to the polls.
The Trump administration has tried to lower prices in other ways, including a controversial deal announced last week that lifted some sanctions against Russia on relatively small quantities of Russian diesel imports. But this has drawn bipartisan criticism and there is no guarantee it will provide any real relief, with analysts warning that diesel prices could rise to near record highs by November.
