Three Ships Reportedly Hit in Strikes Near Strait of Hormuz

A container ship has reported an attack at a position just west of the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

At about 0200 hours GMT on Wednesday, the master of a container ship reported that the vessel had been hit by an "unknown projectile" at a position 25 nm to the north of Ras al Khaymah, UAE. The ship was damaged, and crewmembers were working to determine the extent of the impact. All personnel aboard were safe and no injuries were reported.

Vanguard Tech has identified the vessel in question as the Japanese-operated boxship ONE Majesty. The consultancy said that the vessel's master had reported a 10-centimeter hole from the projectile damage. The vessel is relocating to a safe anchorage for inspection.

Separately, the Thai-flagged cargo vessel Mayuree Naree reported that it was hit by a projectile at a position about 11 nm off Oman in the Strait of Hormuz at about 0430 UTC, Vanguard Tech reported. The Naree caught fire, and the crew was in process of abandoning ship as of late morning.

In a third incident the same morning, an unnamed bulker reported a hit by a projectile at a position about 50 nm to the northwest of Dubai at about 0200, Vanguard said. No injuries were reported.

No direct hits were reported the previous day, but on Tuesday morning, the master of an unnamed bulker reported a loud bang and a splash in the water at a position about 35 nm to the north of Abu Dhabi, according to UKMTO. No damage was reported.

If the three new hits are confirmed, it would bring the tally of merchant vessels struck during the U.S.-Iran conflict to a total of 13 hulls, and possibly more. So far, seven seafarers have been killed by the strikes on shipping, IMO reports.

Iran's ability to sustain a campaign of attacks against vessel traffic has dissuaded most shipowners from attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, and insurers and reinsurers have had to revisit their war risk policy terms. First responders have to be concerned as well: the most lethal attack to date was on a salvage tug, the Mussafah 2, which was trying to help a stricken container ship - itself hit by Iranian fire - in the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks have proceeded amidst an ongoing U.S. campaign to eliminate Iran's maritime strike capabilities. More than 30 Iranian vessels have been destroyed to date, according to U.S. Central Command, and U.S. Air Force units are working their way down the list of smaller vessel targets as well. On Tuesday alone, CENTCOM claimed to have destroyed 16 Iranian vessels capable of laying mines.