The US-Israeli war with Iran has threatened Gulf ports and disrupted global trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is a vital route for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
Oil prices have soared globally in the wake of the attacks.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned that any ship passing through the narrow channel will be targeted.
Meanwhile, the US has sunk 16 mine-laying ships near the Strait, with President Donald Trump saying there will be “more to follow”.
Here is a list of reported attacks on ships in the area since the war began on 28 February.
1 March
A crew member was killed on board the Marshall Islands–flagged crude tanker MKD VYOM after it was hit by a projectile as the vessel sailed off the Omani coast, 50 nautical miles north of the capital Muscat, manager V.Ships said.
Gibraltar-flagged oil bunkering tanker Hercules Star, which supplies fuel to ships, was struck by a projectile 17 nautical miles northwest of UAE’s Mina Saqr in Ras Al Khaimah. A fire caused by the attack was extinguished, UKMTO said.
A Palau-flagged tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, two nautical miles north of Oman’s Kumzar. The crew of the US-sanctioned Skylight was evacuated, Oman’s maritime security centre said.
2 March
The US-flagged products tanker Stena Imperative was struck by two projectiles in the port of Bahrain, which resulted in a fire and the crew evacuating, UKMTO said.
3 March
Marshall Islands crude oil tanker Libra Trader and Panama-flagged bulker Gold Oak also sustained minor damage about 7-10 nautical miles off the UAE’s port of Fujairah, UKMTO said.
4 March
The Maltese-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was damaged by a projectile as it sailed towards the top of the strait, two nautical miles north of Oman. The attack caused a fire in the engine room and prompted its crew to abandon ship, according to shipping sources.
5 March
Crude oil tanker Sonangol Namibe was hit by a blast while anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair port, US representative company Sonangol Marine Services said.
An Iranian remote-controlled boat laden with explosives was used to target and damage the Bahamas-flagged ship, according to initial assessments from two Iraqi port security sources.
6 March
A tugboat was hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, six nautical miles north of Oman, while conducting operations with vessel Safeen Prestige, which was struck on 4 March, UKMTO said.
7 March
UKMTO reported a possible drone attack 10 nautical miles north of Saudi Arabia’s Jubail, citing a third party it did not name. It said the majority of the crew was evacuated.
11 March
Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was attacked by a projectile in the Strait, 11 nautical miles north of Oman. A fire broke out on board and prompted the crew to evacuate, the vessel’s owner Bangkok-headquartered Precious Shipping PSL.BK said in a statement.
The Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty sustained minor damage after it was hit by a projectile 25 nautical miles northwest of UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah.
The hull of Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth was damaged after being hit by a projectile 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, maritime risk management company Vanguard said. There was no environmental impact reported and the crew was reported safe, UKMTO said.
Fuel tankers Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Maltese-flagged Zefyros were attacked in the Gulf near Iraq, prompting Iraq’s oil ports to completely stop operations, according to port officials and the state news agency.
One port security official said the body of a foreign crew member was recovered from the water.




