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Iran Warns It Could Block More Hormuz Routes as Tanker Attacks Reach Weekly High
Iran has warned that it may block oil-export routes through the Strait of Hormuz that it considers unauthorized, as attacks and attempted attacks on commercial vessels increase across the Gulf.
A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards adviser said routes along the Omani side of the strait would soon be closed. Tehran describes those passages as illegal and alleges they are being used to move oil through small boats and transfer it to tankers. These are Iran’s claims; the warning does not by itself confirm that the routes have been physically closed.
The threat comes amid a sharp rise in reported maritime incidents. Reuters, citing maritime security sources, reported at least 12 attacks on oil, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers around the Strait of Hormuz between September 28 and October 5—the highest weekly total since the Iran war began. The UN’s International Maritime Organization recorded nine vessel incidents over the same week, using its own verification process.
A separate incident was reported in the Gulf, roughly 51 nautical miles off Qatar. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker was struck by multiple projectiles. Maritime security sources identified the vessel as the Acers, a chemical tanker, and reported minor crew injuries. The reported location was off Qatar, rather than inside the Strait of Hormuz itself.
The threats and attacks have raised concern among shipowners about whether vessels can safely use the region’s shipping lanes. Reuters reported that tanker traffic through Hormuz had fallen to its lowest level in more than two months. The strait is a vital route for global energy shipments: before the war, it carried oil and fuel shipments equivalent to about one-fifth of global supply.
Oil prices also rose on Thursday as traders weighed the risks of disrupted Middle Eastern supplies alongside other market pressures. The situation could affect shipping costs, fuel prices and delivery schedules if vessel operators avoid the area or face longer routes. The extent of any lasting disruption remains uncertain.
