Hormuz ship attacks reached a record monthly high in October 2026, with 28 confirmed and reported attacks on commercial vessels in the strait and surrounding waterways, according to a maritime security researcher.
Key Takeaways
- The October count forms part of 113 attacks recorded since the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28.
- More than 30 supertankers have been damaged since the conflict began, including 11 in October.
Hormuz ship attacks intensify
Noam Raydan, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, maintains the institute’s shipping incident map. The institute has tracked maritime security incidents worldwide since 2017. Its map shows that most attacks recorded in September and October occurred in the Strait of Hormuz.
Greece-based consultancy Marisks said a dozen ships were attacked between October 5 and October 11, the highest weekly count since the conflict began.
Supertankers among damaged vessels
An examination of International Maritime Organization listings and MarineTraffic vessel data identified more than 30 damaged very large crude carriers, including 11 in October. Each can carry about 2 million barrels of crude. The vessels represent about 3.5% of the global fleet of more than 900.
More tankers have come under attack as shipowners have become more willing to load cargoes inside the Gulf. Daily freight rates have exceeded $1 million, while regional producers have offered steeper discounts against dated Brent.
Incident counts may be incomplete
The International Maritime Organization recorded 120 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East since the conflict began. The British maritime security service UKMTO recorded 135 conflict-related incidents as of October 16.
UKMTO said insufficient voluntary reporting by shippers was making it difficult to capture the full picture. Its data also showed a sharp rise in ship damage caused by attacks in October.
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