New attack on the Strait of Ormuz burns ship and makes two wounded

Iran does not allow ships to use the strait without authorisation and usually attacks those who try to.

This incident happened less than 72 hours after other attacks in the same area.

On Friday, the Revolutionary Guard of Iran claimed the interception and attack on an oil tanker with the Togo flag, justifying the action with an alleged “illegal crossing” of the strait.

This ship was also hit by a projectile and suffered a fire.

A few days earlier, an attack on a commercial vessel near the Iranian island of Qeshm caused several deaths and serious injuries.

Navigation in the Strait of Ormuz remains at extreme risk, with commercial traffic reduced to historical minimums due to the Iranian requirement for prior crossing permits

Since the end of last week, UKMTO (UK Commercial Maritime Operations or UK Maritime and Maritime Transport Organisation) has recorded a traffic flow of less than 10 ships per day in the Strait of Ormuz, significantly lower than the daily average of more than 30 vessels reported by the United States.

The attacks there “continue to demonstrate Iran’s intention to assert its presence along major transit routes and to maintain pressure on vessels transiting through the area,” said UKMTO in view of the situation in the Ormuz Strait, where it maintains a level of severe threat.

The agency also pointed out that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, on the coast of Yemen, remains under control of Huthi forces “after the territorial gains obtained between September 10 and 12”, alluding to the rebel offensive towards the southwestern coast of the country.

“ Trade traffic thus continues at low levels, concluded.

After more than six months of war between the United States and Iran, negotiations are stalled, and the conflict has now extended to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The exchanges of attacks between the United States and Iran intensified again at the end of August after a month of relative calm, particularly in the narrow strategy of Ormuz.