October is the worst month yet for ship attacks around Hormuz: more than 30 incidents, 145 since the Iran war began
More than 30 attacks on ships in October beat March's 30 and doubled September, UK monitors say, while the US insists the Strait of Hormuz is open.
At a glance
- UK Maritime Trade Operations counts more than 30 attacks on commercial ships around Hormuz in October, the highest monthly total of the war.
- That is more than double September's total and above March's 30. The agency has logged 145 incidents since February 28.
- Only attacks reported by verified vessels are counted, so the true number is likely to be higher. Iran's claimed mine strikes mostly do not appear on the list.
- The US says the main routes are clear of mines and that more than 95% of ships pass safely. Iran says the southern route is illegal and demands proof.
Attacks on merchant ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest monthly level of the Iran war in October, with more than 30 incidents logged by UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The month beat March's 30, when the war was only weeks old, and more than doubled September's total. It also sits awkwardly beside repeated US statements that the waterway is open and secure.
The count, month against month
| Period | Incidents reported to UKMTO | Note |
|---|---|---|
| March 2026 | 30 | First full month of the war |
| September 2026 | Fewer than half of October's | Exact figure not published in the reports reviewed |
| October 2026 | More than 30 | Highest monthly total, with the month only just ending |
| Since February 28 | 145 | Strait, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Gulf |
These numbers are likely to be an undercount. UKMTO lists only attacks reported by verified vessels, and most of the mine strikes Iran has claimed do not appear on its list. Since July 6, 59 of the 81 projectile strikes it recorded in the region were on the southern route, the one the US promotes and Iran rejects.
What the last few days looked like
The final days of October show why the figure climbed. Several of these reports come only from one side and could not be independently checked.
| When | Incident | Who reported it |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday evening | Tanker hit by a projectile leaving on the southern route; no injuries | UKMTO |
| Friday | Explosive devices attached to a tanker from a small boat, about 25 nautical miles north-east of Khasab, Oman; engine-room fire, crew safe | UKMTO |
| Friday | Vessel hit by an unknown projectile south of Lavan island; crew safe | UKMTO |
| Friday | 25 crew rescued from a burning Panama-flagged ship about 1.6 nautical miles off Musandam | Oman's Maritime Security Center |
| Friday | Supertanker with more than 2 million barrels of oil on fire after hitting a mine | Revolutionary Guards |
| Friday–Saturday | Four tankers on fire or exploded in the strait | Revolutionary Guards |
The vessels were mostly not named, and it is not clear how many of Iran's claims overlap with the UKMTO reports.
Two versions of the same water
Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command, said on Friday after flying over the strait that he saw dozens of commercial ships and no sign of the Revolutionary Guards. The southern lanes, he said, are clear of Iranian mines and safe to navigate. His command says more than 95% of ships have sailed through safely in recent months.
Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi answered with a demand for independent evidence that the strait has been cleared. Iran calls the southern route illegal and says ships must use the northern lane along its own coast. That dispute leaves ship captains choosing between a route Iran threatens and one that passes through Iranian-controlled waters.
The strait carried about a fifth of the world's energy supplies before the war. Traffic has fallen to single-digit daily passages since late February, by one count, even with the US reporting that it has helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude since the summer.
Why it reaches Pakistani fuel bills
Pakistan buys most of its crude, diesel and liquefied gas from the Gulf, so a hit on this route is felt at the pump and on the electricity bill. Brent and US crude were still about 70% higher on Friday than a year ago. Every burning tanker makes freight and cargo costs harder to bring down, and those costs go into the price importers pay. Pakistan's sensitive price index has already been rising, driven in part by fuel.
Exporters of Gulf oil are carrying the same risk, and it has sharpened the mood in the region. At a security forum in Bahrain on Saturday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty warned that "the second round will be more dangerous, more destructive". Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed ElKhereiji said people in the region want peace back.
November starts with two deadlines
Tehran has yet to answer a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, carried with edits by Qatari mediators now in the Iranian capital. Americans vote in midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, and reports point to US warnings to Gulf allies about possible strikes the following day. UKMTO's next monthly count will show whether shipping feels any of the diplomacy.
Questions people are asking
Is the Strait of Hormuz open for ships?
Ships are still passing, but the two sides describe it very differently. The US says its main routes are cleared and safe, while UK monitors logged more than 30 attacks in October and Iran calls the southern route unauthorised.
How many ships have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz in 2026?
UK Maritime Trade Operations has recorded 145 incidents in and around the strait since the war began on February 28, with more than 30 of them in October. The count covers only reports from verified vessels.
