BBC Verify: 12 ships attacked in the Strait of Hormuz in one week, a record since the conflict began

The number of attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding areas reached a record level between October 5 and 11, according to a BBC Verify analysis based on data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Twelve ships reported incidents during this period, compared with 10 the previous week, while six attacks were recorded in a single day, on Sunday.

The attacks continued into the following week. The container ship GFS Pride sank in the strait after being struck by a projectile, but all 21 crew members were evacuated. In another incident, the tanker Petro Dolphin was hit by a drone near Oman, more than 250 kilometers from the strait. Eleven sailors were rescued, while two remain missing.

Experts say Iran is attempting to control maritime traffic and is expanding its attacks toward the Gulf of Oman and near Arab states. Amid the risks, oil shipments have slowed: approximately 12.6 million barrels per day passed through the strait on October 13, compared with 15 million at the end of September and 17 million before the conflict.