Iran attacks at least one ship in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil passage

At least three ships were hit on Wednesday in and around the vital oil route of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a British maritime monitoring group, as the Middle East war chokes off a crucial conduit for the global oil trade.

A Japanese container vessel owned by Mitsui, a large global shipping line, was among those hit, according to Kpler, a global ship tracking company. The other targeted ships, according to Kpler, were bulk carriers, or vessels designed to transport loose cargo like grain or iron ore.

“This increasingly points to a sustained pattern rather than isolated incidents,” said Dimitris Ampatzidis, a senior risk and compliance analyst at Kpler. “The pace of attacks does not suggest any intention to de-escalate.”

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