Iran Expands Hormuz Surveillance as 26 Ship Attacks Hit Oil Flows
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 14
Iran Expands Hormuz Surveillance as 26 Ship Attacks Hit Oil Flows
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 14
Summary
Iran said it deployed new Strait of Hormuz surveillance units to track ships in real time and warned vessels to keep transponders on and coordinate with its forces for safe passage.
26 attacks were reported from Sept. 28 to Oct. 14 — 11 tankers struck through Oct. 5 and 15 more incidents logged by UKMTO, including a container ship and tanker hit Tuesday.
Oil traffic has fallen sharply as the attacks intensified: Kpler put Oct. 11 flows at 2.9 million barrels, down from 20.8 million on Oct. 8 and below the 17.1 million prewar daily average.
Brent rose 0.8% to $106.58 a barrel, while the US said Iran had shifted to small-boat spotters after losing radar capacity and disputed Tehran's claim that it controls the waterway.
The escalation comes as Tehran tries to pressure Washington under blockade and sanctions, with an Iranian official saying the new attack pattern is also meant to influence November's US midterm elections.