Commercial Ships Hit by Projectiles in Strait of Hormuz and Off Iran Coast
TL;DR
Iran's retaliatory blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Israeli Operation Epic Fury strikes has produced at least 17 maritime incidents in under two weeks, killing seven seafarers and slashing tanker traffic by 90%. The crisis has spiked Brent crude past $126 per barrel, stranded 20,000 crew members on 3,000 ships, and raised urgent questions about military escorts, selective enforcement favoring Iranian oil exports to China, and the vulnerability of the world's most critical energy chokepoint.
On the morning of March 11, 2026, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center issued yet another set of grim reports: three more commercial cargo ships had been struck by projectiles off the coast of Iran, including one vessel on fire in the Strait of Hormuz that forced its crew to evacuate . The attacks brought the total number of maritime incidents since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran war to at least 17 — including 13 confirmed attacks on civilian vessels and four reports of suspicious activity — according to UKMTO records .
For the estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded aboard roughly 3,000 ships in the Persian Gulf, these latest strikes are not an aberration. They are the continuation of an escalating campaign that has effectively transformed one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints into a war zone, killing at least seven civilian mariners and threatening the 20% of the global oil supply that transits through the narrow waterway .
The Spark: Operation Epic Fury and Iran's Retaliation
The maritime crisis is inseparable from the broader military conflict that erupted on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury — a joint campaign of nearly 900 strikes in just the first 12 hours targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure, missile arsenals, air defenses, and senior leadership . Among those killed in the initial wave was Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of other top officials .
Iran's response was swift and multidirectional. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against U.S. military bases, Israeli territory, and Gulf Arab states that host American forces — including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman . Explosions rocked Dubai, Doha, and Manama. Two Iranian drones struck near Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest hub for international air travel, wounding four people .
But perhaps the most consequential element of Iran's retaliation was its decision to choke the Strait of Hormuz. On March 2, the IRGC formally declared the strait a "closed military zone," warning that any vessel attempting transit would be targeted . It was a threat that Tehran has made for decades but never fully executed — until now.
Anatomy of a Maritime Siege
The attacks on commercial shipping have been methodical and indiscriminate in their targeting. Vessels of diverse flags and functions have been struck, underscoring that the campaign appears designed to deter all non-Iranian transit rather than target specific adversaries.
Among the earliest casualties was the oil tanker Skylight, struck by a projectile north of Khasab, Oman, on March 1, killing two Indian crew members and injuring three others . On March 4, the containership Safeen Prestige was hit by an unidentified projectile and abandoned by its crew. When a tugboat was dispatched two days later to assist the stricken vessel, it was struck by two missiles and sank, leaving at least three crew members missing and four confirmed dead .
The March 11 incidents targeted three separate vessels across a wide geographic arc: a Thai bulk carrier, Mayuree Naree, hit 11 nautical miles north of Oman; the Japanese container ship One Majesty, struck 25 nautical miles northwest of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE; and a third vessel hit 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai . The ship in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire, and the crew evacuated into life rafts .
The International Maritime Organization's Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, called the seafarer deaths "unacceptable," warning that the 20,000 crew members stranded in the region are under "heightened risk and considerable mental strain" . The International Transport Workers' Federation and the Joint Negotiating Group jointly designated the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf as a Warlike Operations Area — a classification that triggers additional pay and insurance protections for seafarers but also signals the extraordinary danger of the waterway .
GPS jamming has added another layer of peril. Reports from maritime intelligence firms indicate that vessels in the region have experienced significant disruptions to navigational systems, compounding the risks for crews attempting to move through or anchor safely in contested waters .
The Economic Shockwave
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent tremors through global energy and shipping markets with a speed and intensity that confirms long-standing fears about the chokepoint's vulnerability.
Tanker traffic through the strait has collapsed by approximately 90% compared with pre-conflict levels . More than 150 ships initially anchored outside the strait to avoid the danger zone; soon after, transit effectively fell to near zero . The Strait of Hormuz normally handles roughly 21 million barrels of oil per day — about a fifth of the world's consumption — along with significant volumes of liquefied natural gas, particularly from Qatar .
The immediate impact on oil prices was dramatic. Brent crude surged past $100 per barrel on March 8 for the first time in four years, peaking at approximately $126 per barrel before retreating to around $88-94 in volatile trading . The research firm Wood Mackenzie warned that prices could reach $150 per barrel in coming weeks and potentially $200 if the closure persists . U.S. gasoline prices, meanwhile, climbed to an average of $3.19 per gallon by March 11, up 22 cents from just one week earlier .
The insurance market has been equally disrupted. In the days before the strikes, war-risk ship insurance premiums for Hormuz transit had already risen from 0.125% to between 0.2% and 0.4% of a vessel's insured value. After the conflict escalated, new war risk contracts were being written at 1% of hull replacement value, renewable every seven days . The International Group of P&I Clubs voided existing war risk coverage effective March 5, requiring entirely new specialized policies .
Daily charter rates for oil supertankers quadrupled within a week to nearly $800,000 . Iraq and Kuwait began shutting in oil production, with analysts warning that the UAE and Saudi Arabia could face similar constraints if the closure persists .
In response, the United States launched a $20 billion reinsurance program through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, designed to cover hull, machinery, and cargo losses and thereby incentivize shipping companies to resume transits .
Iran's Selective Blockade
One of the most geopolitically revealing dimensions of the crisis has been the question of which ships Iran allows through. Satellite tracking data analyzed by CNBC and maritime intelligence firms shows that Iran has continued to export its own crude oil through the supposedly closed strait — sending at least 11.7 million barrels to China since the war began .
This has fueled accusations of a selective blockade. Early reports suggested that Iran might grant passage exclusively to Chinese-flagged or Chinese-owned vessels, citing Beijing's relatively supportive diplomatic posture toward Tehran . However, the evidence on this point has been mixed. Ship-tracking data indicates that Chinese tankers and container ships have also largely ceased transits, with dozens of Chinese vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf alongside those of other nations .
China, for its part, has been pressing Iran to keep the strait open, particularly for Qatari LNG exports on which several Asian economies depend . The tension between China's public solidarity with Iran and its urgent economic interest in open sea lanes highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics underlying the crisis.
The Military Response: Escorts and Confusion
The possibility of U.S. Navy escorts for commercial vessels has emerged as a central policy question in Washington. On March 10, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted on social media that the Navy had successfully escorted an oil tanker through the strait — a claim that was quickly deleted after the White House confirmed it was false .
The Pentagon, through Joint Chiefs Chairman guidance, confirmed that the military is "assessing how to reopen the flow of crude oil tankers and cargo ships through the Persian Gulf" under a planning framework dubbed Operation Epic Escort . President Trump stated he would "absolutely utilize" military escorts "if and when necessary at the appropriate time" .
Internationally, France announced it was coordinating with European and other states to establish a support mission for merchant ship escorts, though this was contingent on the end of the "most intense phase of the conflict" . The disconnect between stated willingness and actual action underscores the military risks: escorting tankers through a strait where Iran has demonstrated both the capability and willingness to strike civilian vessels raises the specter of direct military confrontation between U.S. naval forces and Iranian shore-based anti-ship missiles.
Beyond the Strait: A Wider War on Infrastructure
The maritime attacks are only one element of Iran's broader retaliatory strategy, which has expanded to target critical infrastructure across the Gulf. Tehran's joint military command announced on March 11 that it would begin targeting banks and financial institutions in the Middle East — a threat that came after an Iranian branch of the state-owned Bank Sepah was struck by coalition airstrikes, killing staff members .
The UAE is now considering freezing Iranian assets held in the Gulf state, a move that could cripple Tehran's access to foreign currency and global trade networks . The escalation from military to economic warfare represents a dangerous new phase of the conflict.
Qatar suspended all maritime navigation. Bahrain halted operations at its Khalifa Bin Salman Port. Flights across the region were disrupted . The economic architecture of the Persian Gulf — built over decades on the assumption that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open — is being stress-tested as never before.
What Comes Next
As the conflict enters its second week, several critical questions remain unresolved. The appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei — the former Supreme Leader's son — as Iran's new Supreme Leader on March 8 has not produced any softening of the maritime blockade . If anything, the new leadership appears to be doubling down on the strategy of asymmetric economic warfare.
The humanitarian dimension is growing more urgent by the day. With 20,000 seafarers stranded, limited evacuation options, and continuing attacks, the risk of a mass casualty incident on a civilian vessel remains high . The ITF has called for an immediate humanitarian corridor to allow stranded crews to leave the region safely.
For global consumers and businesses, the ramifications are already arriving. Higher energy costs are feeding through supply chains, and the rerouting of shipping away from both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea — still disrupted by Houthi attacks — means that the world's two most critical maritime chokepoints are simultaneously compromised . The last time anything remotely comparable occurred was during the 1980s "Tanker War" between Iran and Iraq, which saw over 400 ships attacked over eight years. The current conflict has produced 17 incidents in less than two weeks.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is not merely a shipping story. It is a test of the global order's ability to maintain freedom of navigation in international waters, protect civilian mariners, and prevent a regional war from becoming a global economic catastrophe.
Related Stories
Iran Deploys Mines in Strait of Hormuz as US Forces Sustain Casualties
Iranian Drone Strikes Dubai Airport as Tehran Targets Commerce
UAE Oil Hub Suspends Operations After Drone Attack and Fire
US Strikes Kharg Island, Iran's Oil Export Hub
Trump Administration Fears Loss of Control Over Iran War Direction
Sources (27)
- [1]Three cargo ships struck off Iran's coast, UK says, including one in Strait of Hormuzcnbc.com
Three cargo ships were struck by suspected projectiles off the coast of Iran on Wednesday morning, including one in the Strait of Hormuz that caught fire.
- [2]Iran War Live: Cargo Ships Struck By Projectiles In Strait of Hormuznewsweek.com
UKMTO said it had received 17 reports of incidents affecting vessels between 28 February and March 11, including 13 attack reports and four reports of suspicious activity.
- [3]IMO Secretary-General: Seafarer deaths in Strait of Hormuz unacceptableimo.org
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez stated that around 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf under heightened risk and considerable mental strain.
- [4]2026 Strait of Hormuz crisisen.wikipedia.org
The crisis affected about 20% of the world's daily oil supply. Tanker traffic dropped approximately 70% initially, with over 150 ships anchoring outside the strait, before falling to near zero.
- [5]2026 Iran conflict | Explained, United States, Israel, Map, & Warbritannica.com
On February 28, 2026, U.S. and Israeli forces launched nearly 900 strikes in 12 hours targeting Iranian missiles, air defenses, military infrastructure, and leadership.
- [6]2026 Iran war - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
Khamenei was killed in the first wave of strikes on February 28. Mojtaba Khamenei was elected on 8 March 2026 to replace his father as Supreme Leader.
- [7]Multiple Arab states that host US assets targeted in Iran retaliationaljazeera.com
Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks on US military bases, Israeli territory, and Gulf Arab states including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
- [8]Live Updates: Iran war brings new attacks on commercial ships, Dubai airport, as Tehran warns banks are nextcbsnews.com
Iran's joint military command announced it would start targeting banks and financial institutions. Two Iranian drones struck near Dubai International Airport, wounding four people.
- [9]Iran claims Hormuz Strait is closed, threatens to set shipping there 'ablaze'timesofisrael.com
On March 2, Iran's Revolutionary Guards formally declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and warned that vessels attempting transit would be targeted.
- [10]Deadly attack on tug assisting abandoned ship in Strait of Hormuzseatrade-maritime.com
A tugboat dispatched to assist the Safeen Prestige was struck by two missiles and later sank, leaving at least three crew members missing and four confirmed dead.
- [11]Cargo ship hit in Strait of Hormuz, crew evacuating: UK maritime agencyalarabiya.net
A cargo vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, igniting a fire onboard and forcing the crew to evacuate into life rafts.
- [12]'Critical' Threat Persists in Hormuz as Attacks and GPS Jamming Shake Shippinggcaptain.com
Vessels in the region have experienced significant GPS jamming disruptions to navigational systems, compounding the risks for crews.
- [13]Strait of Hormuz Remains Shut to Almost All Non-Iran-Linked Shipsgcaptain.com
Tanker traffic through the strait dropped around 90% compared with the previous week. The strait remains effectively closed to almost all but Iran-linked traffic.
- [14]Strait of Hormuz Global Oil, Gas Trade Disrupt Amid Iran Wartime.com
The Strait of Hormuz normally handles roughly 21 million barrels of oil per day, about a fifth of the world's consumption, along with significant LNG volumes.
- [15]Oil prices: Analysts raise the alarm as crude soars over Iran warcnbc.com
Brent crude surpassed $100 per barrel on March 8 for the first time in four years, rising up to $126 per barrel at its peak. Wood Mackenzie warned prices could reach $150.
- [16]Crude oil prices spike as a broadening Iran war threatens both transport routes and productionbnnbloomberg.ca
Brent crude oil prices surpassed $100 per barrel for the first time in four years, peaking at approximately $126 per barrel amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
- [17]Maritime insurers cancel war risk cover in Gulf: Will it hike energy costs?aljazeera.com
War risk insurance premiums rose from 0.125% to 1% of hull replacement value. The International Group of P&I Clubs voided existing coverage effective March 5.
- [18]Iran: Oil supertanker rates soar as insurers drop war risk protectioncnbc.com
Daily charter rates for oil supertankers quadrupled within a week to nearly $800,000 as insurance rates could rise by 50 to 100 percent.
- [19]US launches $20 billion reinsurance plan to revive shipping in Strait of Hormuzthenationalnews.com
The U.S. launched a $20 billion reinsurance programme through the DFC, covering hull, machinery and cargo losses to incentivize shipping companies to resume transits.
- [20]Iran sends millions of oil barrels to China through Strait of Hormuz even as war chokes the waterwaycnbc.com
Iran has sent at least 11.7 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, all headed to China, despite declaring it closed to other traffic.
- [21]Shadow fleet dominates Hormuz crossings as Iran ramps up bypass loadingslloydslist.com
A shadow fleet of tankers dominates the limited traffic still crossing through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran ramping up oil exports via the waterway.
- [22]China presses Iran to keep Hormuz open as Asian buyers seek alternativesiranintl.com
China is pressing Iran to avoid disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly Qatari LNG exports on which several Asian economies depend.
- [23]White House denies US military escorted tanker in Hormuz after deleted postaljazeera.com
The White House confirmed no oil tanker has been escorted by the U.S. Navy through the Strait of Hormuz, refuting a deleted social media post by Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
- [24]US Didn't Escort Tanker Through Hormuz, Refuting Wright Postbloomberg.com
Bloomberg confirmed the U.S. had not escorted an oil tanker through the strait, contradicting the Energy Secretary's now-deleted claim.
- [25]Operation Epic Escort: Pentagon Weighs Options on Strait of Hormuz Transitsnews.usni.org
The Pentagon is assessing how to reopen the flow of crude oil tankers and cargo ships through the Persian Gulf under a planning framework dubbed Operation Epic Escort.
- [26]UAE mulls freezing Iranian assets as Middle East conflict escalatescnbc.com
The UAE is considering cutting off Iranian access to billions of dollars held in the Gulf state, a move that could cripple Tehran's access to foreign currency.
- [27]Iran attacks prompt Red Sea rethink as box shipping exits Strait of Hormuzlloydslist.com
The rerouting of shipping away from both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea means the world's two most critical maritime chokepoints are simultaneously compromised.
Sign in to dig deeper into this story
Sign In