Explosive-laden Iranian boats appear to have attacked two fuel tankers in Iraqi waters, setting them ablaze and killing one crew member on Wednesday.
The attacks came after projectiles struck four vessels in Gulf waters, said port, maritime security and risk firms.
The latest strikes on ships mark a significant escalation in the conflict between Iran and US-Israeli forces, raising the number of ships attacked in the region since fighting began to at least 16.
Shipping in the Gulf and along the narrow Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world's oil, has come to a near-standstill since the US and Israel began strikes on Iran on February 28, sending global oil prices surging to highs not seen since 2022.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have said they are in control of the strait and warned that if attacks on Iran continued, they would not allow “even one litre of oil” to be shipped from the Middle East.
The vessels attack on Wednesday night were the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Malta-flagged Zefyros, which had loaded fuel cargoes in Iraq, two Iraqi port officials said.
Iraq's State Organisation for Marketing of Oil said the Safesea Vishnu was chartered by an Iraqi company contracted with Somo, and that Zefyros was loaded with condensate products from Basra Gas Company. Both were attacked in the ship-to-ship loading area within Iraqi territorial waters, Somo said. One crew member was killed.
Iraq’s oil ports have completely stopped operations after the attacks, while commercial ports continue to function, Iraq's state news agency said, quoting the head of the state-run General Company for Ports of Iraq.
UK Maritime Trade Operations said the crew of one ship had been evacuated and were reported safe.
“A boat belonging to the Iraqi Ports Company rescued 25 crew members from the two vessels, and the fires are still burning on both ships,” Farhan Al Fartousi, GCPI's director general, told Reuters.
The commander of the IRGC Naval Force says any vessel seeking to sail through the Strait of Hormuz must obtain Iran’s approval or become a target of Iranian attacks. In a post on his X account on Wednesday, Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said that two ships that had ignored Iran’s warnings were attacked in the strait earlier that day.
Two projectiles of unknown origin struck the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree dry bulk vessel as it sailed through the strait, causing a fire and damaging the engine room, operator Precious Shipping said.
“Three crew members are reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room,” it said.
“The company is working with the relevant authorities to rescue these three missing crew members.” The remaining 20 crew members had been safely evacuated and were ashore in Oman, it added.
Images provided by the Thai navy showed smoke pouring out of the back of the ship.
The IRGC said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency that the ship was “fired upon by Iranian fighters”, suggesting the first direct engagement by the forces who have previously fired missiles or drones.
The Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty also sustained minor damage on Wednesday from an unknown projectile 46km north-west of Ras Al Khaimah, two maritime security firms said.
Its Japanese owner Mitsui OSK Lines and a representative for Ocean Network Express, its charterer, said the vessel was struck while at anchor in the Gulf and an inspection of the hull revealed minor damage above the waterline.
All crew are safe, they said. The vessel remained fully operational and seaworthy, they added. The owner said the cause of the incident remained unclear and was under investigation.
Early on Thursday, UKMTO said an unidentified projectile struck a container ship, causing a small fire, 64km north of Jebel Ali in the UAE. The crew were reported safe.
Reuters, citing two unnamed sources, also reported on Wednesday that Iran had planted about a dozen mines in the strait. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said American forces had struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels, amid warnings from Washington of severe repercussions should Iran lay mines.
Earlier on Wednesday, Oman's state TV said that drones struck fuel tanks in Salalah port. Oman's state news agency said, quoting an Energy Ministry official, that there has been no disruption to the continuity of oil supplies or petroleum derivatives in the country.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian told Oman's Sultan Haitham in a phone call that the incident would be investigated, Iranian media reported on Wednesday.
Sultan Haitham condemned attacks on Oman during the call, the country's state news agency reported.
