Ship Attacks in Strait of Hormuz Hit Record High in October

October 2026 has become the worst month on record for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with 28 confirmed and reported incidents, according to a Washington-based think tank tracking maritime security since 2017. The attacks, totaling 113 since the US-Israeli war with Iran began on February 28, have damaged over 30 supertankers, including 11 in October alone, representing about 3.5% of the global Very Large Crude Carriers fleet. Iran is intensifying attacks to slow shipment recovery and pressure energy markets ahead of November's US midterm elections. The British maritime security service UKMTO recorded 135 conflict-related incidents as of October 16 but noted difficulty capturing the full picture due to insufficient voluntary reporting by shippers.