DUBAI — Two cargo ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after being struck in separate incidents, according to CNN, in a sharp escalation of attacks on commercial shipping in the vital waterway.
Singapore’s maritime authority said the Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride was struck on Tuesday, caught fire and later sank, according to CNN. All crew members were safely evacuated. Iranian state media said the vessel had struck a sea mine, a claim maritime experts questioned, saying a drone strike was more likely, according to CNN.
A second vessel, the Antigua and Barbuda-registered Cape Dao, also sank, according to International Maritime Organization data cited by CNN. It had first been hit on September 23, and one Indian crew member was killed.
The sinkings are only the second and third since the Iran war began in February, according to the IMO data cited by CNN. Nine attacks in or near the strait have been reported since Monday, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations data cited by CNN.
Oil flows have fallen sharply. Only about 4.147 million barrels transited the strait on Monday, less than a quarter of pre-war levels, according to Kpler data cited by CNN, and the seven-day average has dropped since early October.
The United States continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports, according to CNN. Analysts cited by CNN warned the renewed attacks could keep pressure on fuel prices as U.S. voters approach the midterm elections.
