Two More Tankers in Hormuz Report Strikes, Bringing Total to Six in a Week
UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that two more tankers were struck, bringing the total to six ships in one week and 110 incidents directly related to the US-Iran conflict. The Kuwait Oil Tanker Co. crude oil tanker Kazimah III was struck while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on October 1, about five miles off the coast of Oman, and a second, Panama-flagged crude oil tanker was struck while outbound, with a fire extinguished and reports of a blackout onboard. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority said the ships targeted included those on its non-compliant list, which stood at 82 vessels as of Friday.
Why it matters: The strikes fall within the US-Iran conflict theme, tying maritime attacks in the Strait of Hormuz to the US blockade and to Iran's declining oil income.