13/10/2026
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13/10/2026
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File Photo: A statue of Iranian military members stands, as vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, August 26, 2026.
LONDON, Oct 13: Iranian attacks on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz have intensified, raising concerns that renewed hostilities could disrupt the recovery of oil exports from the Persian Gulf, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.
Shipping industry sources have reported signs of slowing cargo movements through the strategic waterway after oil flows approached prewar levels earlier this month.
However, available data have yet to show a clear decline in oil-loading activity at several major regional export terminals, while some shipowners have reported no significant disruption to vessel movements, according to the report.
The latest escalation comes amid growing regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia also facing attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement. The deteriorating security situation helped push crude oil prices above $106 a barrel in London on Monday, although prices eased slightly on Tuesday.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency, four tankers were struck by unidentified projectiles in separate incidents while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on October 11. Bloomberg reported that this was roughly twice the agency’s average daily number of reported attacks during the previous week.
The increase in reported incidents appears to be prompting greater caution among shipping operators. Tanker-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed that more than a dozen supertankers and several Suezmax-class vessels had turned around or reversed course while approaching Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, near the entrance to the strait.
Shipbrokers and some vessel owners operating in the region have also reported signs of reduced activity, particularly longer waiting times for ship-to-ship oil transfers. However, one shipowner involved in these operations said maritime traffic had not slowed.
Ship-to-ship transfers have played an important role in sustaining regional oil exports. The practice allows shuttle tankers to carry crude oil through the high-risk Strait of Hormuz before transferring their cargo to other vessels for onward delivery to international buyers.
Any sustained slowdown in shipping through the strait could complicate efforts to restore regional oil exports and add further uncertainty to global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for international oil shipments, making maritime security in the area a major concern for oil producers, shipping companies and energy-importing countries.