CAIRO/WASHINGTON/DUBAI: Iran said on Wednesday that it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after US forces sank five Iranian oil tankers, marking the largest declared wave of attacks on commercial shipping by the two sides since their war began six months ago.
The United States said it destroyed five Iranian tankers after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards twice attempted to strike a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. Washington said no American personnel were harmed. Iran subsequently said it fired on two US vessels and eight tankers, while also launching ballistic missiles at a base used by American forces in Jordan. Jordan said 18 of 20 incoming missiles were intercepted.
At least one seafarer was killed and another reported missing aboard the Hercules Star near Dubai. A tanker carrying around two million barrels of Iraqi fuel oil, the New Andros, was also struck by a drone in Iraqi waters, although its 22 crew members escaped injury and officials reported no oil leakage.
The renewed attacks have sharply reduced shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Preliminary data showed only six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, compared with roughly 125 large commercial vessels per day before the war. Brent crude consequently climbed above $100 a barrel.