Iran intensifies attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz as oil and gas flows increase

Maritime security in the Middle East and Eastern Europe has been disrupted by a series of attacks on commercial vessels. In the Strait of Hormuz, the Panamanian-flagged merchant ship On Peace caught fire following an attack, necessitating an emergency evacuation of ten crew members by the Royal Air Force of Oman. Concurrently, reports indicate an increased frequency of Iranian-led attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, occurring as regional oil and gas transit volumes return to pre-war levels.

Separately, in the Black Sea, Russian rescue teams recovered 23 Indian crew members from the Liberian-flagged tanker AFRAMAX RIO. The vessel was disabled by Ukrainian aquatic drone strikes. These incidents highlight a period of heightened vulnerability for maritime shipping across multiple strategic transit corridors.