Explosive-laden boats believed to be operated by Iran attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters on Wednesday, igniting fires on both vessels and leaving one crew member dead, according to port authorities and maritime security firms. The incident came after projectiles struck four other ships in Gulf waters.
The latest assaults on vessels linked to the United States and Europe mark a further escalation in the conflict between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces. Since hostilities began, at least 16 ships have reportedly been targeted in the region. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a vital passage that carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil—has nearly halted since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, pushing global oil prices to levels last seen in 2022.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that if attacks on Iran continue, it will prevent any oil shipments from leaving the Middle East for the U.S., Israel or their allies. U.S. President Donald Trump has responded by threatening stronger military action if Iran blocks exports, claiming that much of Iran’s navy has already been destroyed and urging oil companies to keep using the strait.
The two tankers hit late Wednesday near Iraq were identified by port officials as the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-flagged Zefyros, both of which had loaded fuel cargoes in Iraq. Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) said the ships were attacked while conducting ship-to-ship loading operations within Iraqi territorial waters, with Safesea Vishnu chartered by an Iraqi firm working with SOMO and Zefyros carrying condensate from Basra Gas Company.
Following the attacks, Iraq’s oil ports halted operations, though commercial ports remain open, according to the General Company for Ports of Iraq. Rescue teams evacuated 25 crew members from the burning vessels, while search efforts continued for missing seafarers.
Elsewhere, the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree was struck by two projectiles while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Its operator, Precious Shipping, said the attack caused a fire and severe damage to the engine room, leaving three crew members missing and believed trapped inside. The remaining crew were evacuated to Oman.
Additional incidents were reported involving other vessels. The Japan-flagged container ship ONE Majesty, owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and chartered by Ocean Network Express, suffered minor damage from a projectile near Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, though the crew remained safe and the ship operational.
A Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier, Star Gwyneth, owned by Star Bulk Carriers, was also struck by a projectile northwest of Dubai, damaging its hull but causing no injuries.
Early Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that another projectile hit a container ship north of Jebel Ali in the UAE, sparking a small fire though all crew members were safe.
Maritime industry sources say shipping traffic in the Gulf has slowed sharply as attacks increase. The United States Navy has so far declined repeated requests from the shipping industry to provide military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the high risk of further strikes.
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