12 Tankers Attacked in Strait of Hormuz in a Single Week

Twelve tankers came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz in the seven days between September 29 and October 5. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) logged the incidents, which have been linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The United States has not responded.

Projectiles struck tankers nearly every day:

September 29: three tankers hit by projectiles
October 1: one tanker struck, setting it on fire
October 2: two tankers hit, one of which caught fire and suffered a temporary blackout
October 3: a crude oil tanker struck above the waterline
October 4: two tankers hit, among them a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier
October 5: three tankers struck, one with a fire in its engine room

The tally also includes one direct IRGC threat. On October 5, the Revolutionary Guards ordered an inbound tanker to turn back or be targeted. The vessel was about 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, at the time. It complied.

As JFeed reported at the time, the vessel's master confirmed compliance with the order, and authorities opened an investigation into the confrontation off Khasab.

Iranian forces also stopped and seized an oil tanker in the strait later on October 5. The seizure was shown in footage published by the state-linked Fars News agency. Tehran claimed the ship had broken maritime regulations and ignored warnings from authorities.

The IRGC has also been making its case on the strait outside the water. On September 29, it released an open letter to the American people, accusing the Trump administration of misleading Americans about the war, about Iran's nuclear program and about who controls the Strait of Hormuz.