The strategically important Strait of Hormuz has been at the heart of the conflict during the six months of war in which the U.S. and Israel have been clashing with Iran, and many commercial ships have found themselves in the crosshairstrouble in this strategically important maritime region.
In total, 68 “incidents” have been confirmed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)—in the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea: on average, one is recorded every 2.5 days.
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At least 20 sailors or dockworkers have been killed in these incidents, another 35 have been injured, and one is officially listed as missing, according to data from the agency, which is part of the UN system.
In nearly half of the “incidents,” oil tankers were targeted; 20% involved container ships, and 15% involved bulk carriers.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime security intelligence agency under the Ministry of Defense, classifies 47 of these “incidents” as “attacks.”
Most of the ships that were attacked were flying the Liberian flag (13), followed by ships registered with the Panama and Marshall Islands shipping registers (10 each).
Ships flying the Iranian flag were targeted in four of the “incidents.”
The frequency of these incidents fluctuated during the various phases of the war.
From the start of the conflict on February 28 until the signing of the so-called Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding in mid-June, an incident occurred every 2.3 days.
The incidents during this period resulted in the deaths of 16 people and injuries to another 19. All were recorded in the Gulf, east and west of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as off the coasts of Iraq, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
During the negotiations, around July 7, the frequency had halved, with one incident every 4.6 days. No sailors or port workers were reported killed, injured, or missing during this period.
Four out of five incidents during the same period were concentrated in the maritime area off the coast of Oman, near the narrowest point of the sea lane, along a route not authorized by Iranian authorities.
After the Washington-Tehran agreement fell apart, the frequency of incidents rose to a level nearly equal to that before the negotiations; in other words, an incident is recorded on average nearly every three days, according to IMO data.
Four sailors or dockworkers were killed, 16 were injured, and one was reported missing during this phase of the war.
Source: Proto Thema
