Multiple vessels were attacked in Iraqi and Gulf waters on Wednesday, with reports indicating that Iranian explosive-laden boats and unidentified projectiles set two fuel tankers ablaze and damaged several other ships. One crew member was killed, while others were rescued as maritime authorities scrambled to contain the incidents.
The vessels targeted in the late-night attacks included the Marshall Islands-flagged Safesea Vishnu and the Zefyros, which had recently loaded fuel cargoes in Iraq, according to two Iraqi port officials speaking to Reuters. One Iraqi port security source noted that the Zefyros was flagged in Malta. “We recovered the body of a foreign crew member from the water,” said a port official, while rescue teams continued searching for other missing seafarers.
Farhan al-Fartousi, director general of Iraq’s state-run General Company for Ports of Iraq (GCPI), told Reuters that 25 crew members from the two vessels were rescued by a boat operated by the Iraqi Ports Company, though fires were still burning aboard both ships. An Indian crew member aboard the U.S.-owned Safesea Vishnu was confirmed dead by the Indian embassy in Baghdad. The embassy said the remaining 15 Indian sailors had been evacuated to safety, and officials are maintaining regular contact with both the rescued crew and Iraqi authorities.
The attacks have forced a temporary suspension of operations at Iraq’s oil ports, though commercial ports remain functional, according to al-Fartousi. Officials described the attacks as acts of sabotage, calling them a “flagrant violation of Iraq’s sovereignty” given that they occurred in Iraqi territorial waters.
Reports suggest the use of explosive-laden unmanned surface vessels, similar to those employed by Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, marking an escalation in maritime tactics in the Gulf. The incidents come amid Iran’s blockade of oil shipments in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas trade. Sources cited by Reuters indicated that Iran has deployed around a dozen mines in the strait, while former U.S. President Donald Trump claimed U.S. forces had struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels and warned of severe repercussions for further attacks.
Tensions remain high in the Strait of Hormuz. On Thursday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported that an unidentified projectile struck a container ship 35 nautical miles north of Jebel Ali in the UAE, causing a small fire; all crew members were reported safe. Separately, the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree dry bulk vessel was hit by two unknown projectiles while passing through the strait, resulting in engine room damage and a fire. Three crew members were reported missing, believed trapped in the engine room, while the remaining 20 were safely evacuated to Oman. Images released by Thai media showed rescued crew members being assisted by Oman’s navy.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency that the Mayuree Naree had been fired upon by Iranian forces, marking a possible first direct engagement by the IRGC with vessels, which had previously relied on missiles and drones.
Additional incidents included the Japan-flagged container ship ONE Majesty, which sustained minor hull damage northwest of Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE, while anchored. The vessel remains fully operational, and all crew are safe. Another bulk carrier, the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth, was struck in the hold area approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, with no injuries reported.
The incidents underscore the heightened risks for commercial shipping in the Gulf. Reuters reported that the U.S. Navy has repeatedly declined requests for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of hostilities with Iran, citing the elevated threat level as a major concern for ongoing operations.
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