The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which began on February 28, has brought direct threats to Gulf shipping and interruptions to global trade moving through the Strait of Hormuz - a narrow passage through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically flows. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have issued warnings that any vessel passing through the Strait will be targeted.
Below is a chronological account of reported attacks on ships since the conflict’s inception, based on the incidents as recorded through March 17. The entries list the dates, the vessels affected, locations given in nautical miles relative to regional ports and coasts, and the reporting authorities cited at the time.
- March 1 - A crew member was killed aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged crude tanker MKD VYOM after the vessel was struck by a projectile while sailing off the Omani coast, 50 nautical miles north of Muscat, the ship manager V.Ships said. On the same day, the Gibraltar-flagged oil bunkering tanker Hercules Star - which supplies fuel to ships - was hit by a projectile 17 nautical miles northwest of the UAE’s Mina Saqr in Ras Al Khaimah; a fire from that attack was extinguished, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported. Also on March 1, a Palau-flagged tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz two nautical miles north of Oman’s Kumzar; Oman’s maritime security centre reported the crew of the U.S.-sanctioned vessel Skylight was evacuated.
- March 2 - The U.S.-flagged products tanker Stena Imperative was struck by two projectiles while in the port of Bahrain. The impact produced a fire and led to the crew evacuating the ship, according to UKMTO reports.
- March 3 - The Marshall Islands crude oil tanker Libra Trader and the Panama-flagged bulker Gold Oak sustained minor damage about 7-10 nautical miles off the UAE port of Fujairah, UKMTO said.
- March 4 - The Maltese-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was damaged by a projectile as it steamed towards the top of the Strait, two nautical miles north of Oman. Shipping sources reported the attack caused a fire in the engine room and forced the crew to abandon ship.
- March 5 - The crude oil tanker Sonangol Namibe was struck by a blast while anchored near Iraq’s Khor al Zubair port, the vessel’s U.S. representative company Sonangol Marine Services stated. Initial assessments from two Iraqi port security sources indicated an Iranian remote-controlled boat laden with explosives was used to target and damage the Bahamas-flagged ship.
- March 6 - UKMTO reported that a tugboat was hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, six nautical miles north of Oman, while it was conducting operations with the Safeen Prestige, the container ship struck on March 4.
- March 7 - Citing an unnamed third party, UKMTO reported a possible drone attack 10 nautical miles north of Saudi Arabia’s Jubail; the notification said the majority of the crew aboard the affected vessel were evacuated.
- March 11 - Multiple incidents were reported on this date. The Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was struck by a projectile in the Strait, 11 nautical miles north of Oman; a fire ensued aboard and the crew evacuated, the vessel’s owner, Bangkok-headquartered Precious Shipping, said. The Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty suffered minor damage after being hit by a projectile 25 nautical miles northwest of the UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah. Vanguard, a maritime risk management company, reported the hull of the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth was damaged by a projectile 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, and UKMTO said there was no reported environmental impact and crews were reported safe. On the same day, fuel tankers - the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Maltese-flagged Zefyros - were attacked in the Gulf near Iraq; port officials and the state news agency said Iraq’s oil ports were forced to stop operations completely. In a related development, one port security official reported recovering the body of a foreign crew member from the water.
- March 17 - A projectile struck a Kuwait-flagged tanker 23 nautical miles east of the UAE’s Fujairah, causing minor structural damage. Maritime security sources identified the vessel as the liquefied petroleum tanker Gas Al Ahmadiah, which was at anchor at the time of the strike.
The recorded incidents span missile, projectile and explosive-laden remote-control boat attacks as well as a reported possible drone strike. Reported outcomes range from minor structural damage and controlled fires to crew evacuations, the recovery of a body from the water and at least one confirmed fatality aboard a vessel.
These events have led to interruptions in port operations in parts of the Gulf and introduced acute risk to commercial shipping transiting a strategically sensitive waterway that carries a substantial share of global oil and LNG shipments.