The head of the United Nations' maritime agency warned on Sunday that about 6,000 seafarers remain trapped near the Strait of Hormuz as attacks on commercial ships increase, while Iran accused the US military of using an international emergency radio channel to threaten civilian crews.1,3
International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez told Fox News Digital that "the situation continues to be severe and critical when it comes to international shipping." He said "there is a double blockade and too many vessels have been attacked, particularly in recent days," and that seafarers "have continued to perish in these attacks." He urged vessels not to transit the strait or put seafarers at risk "until we have guarantees."1
Estimates of the scale of the attacks differ. The New York Post, citing the Financial Times, reported that 24 ships had been attacked on the waterway over roughly two weeks. Al Jazeera, citing the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reported at least 12 ships were attacked in the week ending October 16, and said the month had seen the highest number of ship attacks since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. The UKMTO said it was struggling to count the attacks accurately because most vessels that were attacked were refusing to report to it, and that it was aware of further incidents through other sources that it could not verify.1,3
Of the 12 vessels the UKMTO confirmed as attacked, the organisation said half continued to their destination or reached port. One sank, two were disabled, and three were either damaged or had an unconfirmed outcome. The UKMTO also reported a new type of attack on Saturday, in which the master of a tanker said the vessel was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired from a small boat about 78 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia's city of Jubail.3
The warning followed a letter dated October 9 to the IMO from Iran's ambassador to the organisation, Seyed Ali Mousavi, which was circulated to member states. The letter alleged that the US military had repeatedly occupied VHF Channel 16, an internationally designated maritime distress and safety channel, for prolonged periods. "During such transmissions, Iranian seafarers have been addressed in Persian with threatening, abusive and provocative language and in certain instances urged to abandon their vessels," the letter stated. It also described the channel as an "instrument of military intimidation and psychological pressure against civilian crews."1
The letter provided no recordings, transcripts or specific details of the alleged exchanges, and Fox News Digital said it could not independently verify the accusations. Iran asked the IMO to raise its allegations with member states and relevant international organizations, potentially including the International Telecommunication Union. Dominguez said the IMO could review its regulations and procedures to determine whether stronger safeguards were needed, but he did not announce a formal investigation.1
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) defended its enforcement of the naval blockade of Iranian ports. "The US naval blockade has been in place for months and is professionally communicated to all international mariners," CENTCOM said. "Vessels that refuse to comply with blockade enforcement receive multiple warnings, with ample opportunity to comply." In a separate statement, a CENTCOM spokesman said the vast majority of Iran's attempted attacks on the Strait of Hormuz are unsuccessful.1,2
Dominguez said the IMO would examine any technical or operational aspects that needed clarification within its regulatory framework when such incidents occurred. He stressed that member states had equal rights to raise concerns regardless of the conflict. "Seafarers are not trained for combat, and they are not guilty of any conflicts that are happening around the world," he said.1
Ship losses have also been attributed to mines, and the two sides dispute the causes. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil caught fire on Saturday after striking a mine while moving through an "unauthorised" route, and Iran's state-run Press TV shared footage it said showed the tanker on fire. CENTCOM said it had cleared the strait of naval mines and that vessels were being struck by projectiles. It said a civilian container ship, the M/V GFS Pride, was hit by an IRGC projectile on Thursday rather than a mine, as Iran had claimed, and sank while being towed to shore.3
CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper said in a video message late on Friday that, despite the Iranian attacks, 400 ships and 100 million barrels of oil had moved through the strait over the previous week. "Let me be clear: The Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran," he said, attributing the sharp increase in ship attacks to "desperation" by the Revolutionary Guard. Iran has not provided exact figures on the number of vessels attacked or transiting the strait, and has said Washington is exaggerating its numbers to project success in its naval campaign.3
The strait accounted for roughly a fifth of global oil and natural gas flows before the war began. According to Kpler figures cited by Al Jazeera, oil flows through Hormuz averaged 11.6 million barrels per day over the seven days to October 13, about 68 percent of the 17.1 million barrels per day pre-war baseline. Brent crude touched $110 a barrel on Friday for the first time since May, a rise that analysts linked to the ongoing attacks and to expectations that the conflict between the US and Iran was escalating. The United States has increased energy transits through a shuttle system coordinated with Arab powers, but volumes have fluctuated weekly as Iranian attacks have risen.3
The US military said its naval blockade continues to prevent Iranian exports and imports through Iran's southern ports, and that the blockade has cost Iran $25 billion in oil export income. It also said the US had recently seized $350 million in Iranian cryptocurrency financing. The US has not responded to any of the recent vessel attacks.3
Diplomacy has not fully halted, with regional mediators including Pakistan and Qatar continuing to relay messages between the two parties. No breakthrough in talks is expected any time soon. Al Jazeera reported that President Donald Trump has ordered the US military to remain prepared to launch bigger attacks after the November 3 midterm elections, and that there are concerns in Washington about an escalation of the war after that date.3
