Ship Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz Hit an 'All-Time High' ... Threats Mount

[Financial News] As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain unresolved, armed attacks targeting ships around the Strait of Hormuz have reached an all-time high.
Yonhap News reported on the 14th, citing foreign media, that a total of 37 ship attacks occurred around the Strait of Hormuz last month. This is the highest monthly figure since February this year, when war broke out following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
At least 14 more attacks have been confirmed so far this month.
The Iranian Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that a vessel carrying liquefied gas collided with a sea mine in the eastern Strait of Hormuz on the 13th local time, causing a massive explosion. It continues its offensive against vessels that have not obtained Iran’s permission. Because the Strait of Hormuz is a natural strait, no country can restrict passage through it under international law.
However, demand for passage through the strait itself is gradually recovering. A total of 418 non-Iranian tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz last month, also setting a monthly record. Foreign media, however, said that “ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is recovering, but has not returned to normal,” and assessed that “the likelihood of further deliberate attacks is also very high.”
Meanwhile, the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen are also stepping up their offensive against Saudi Arabia. According to foreign media, the Houthi rebels said they had fired two ballistic missiles at a gathering point for Saudi forces in Jazan Province, in southwestern Saudi Arabia. The province is home to a Saudi Aramco refinery capable of processing 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, heightening concerns about energy security.
The Houthis previously claimed to have attacked Saudi Arabia’s east-west oil pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Saudi Aramco facilities in the capital, Riyadh, among other targets. However, Saudi Arabia’s position and the actual damage have yet to be confirmed. 

[email protected] Jeon Min-kyung Reporter