Container ship sinks in Strait of Hormuz as Iran steps up attacks

A Singapore-flagged container ship, the GFS Pride, sank in the Strait of Hormuz after being struck by an unidentified projectile and catching fire; all 21 crew were safely evacuated, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said. Containers were reported floating after the sinking and Pakistani authorities issued a navigational alert. A second Singapore-registered box ship, the GFS Giselle, suffered hull damage from a separate projectile strike but reached safe anchorage with no injuries. Singapore’s maritime authority called the strikes unprovoked and a breach of international law. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed the Pride hit a naval mine, but maritime security firm Marisks said there is no independent evidence for a mine and described Iran’s narrative as part of a psychological-operations campaign to frighten and deter commercial shipping.

The incidents are part of a sharp escalation in attacks on commercial vessels transiting Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, with more than 20 vessels, mostly oil tankers, reported hit this month. The International Maritime Organization reports two sailors missing and 12 injured so far. Crude exports through Hormuz have fallen amid the attacks: Kpler data show flows averaged 8.5 million barrels per day in the week to Oct. 12, about 40% below prewar levels, while total Middle East shipments including pipelines stood at roughly 14 million bpd, nearly 20% below prewar levels. Daily transit volumes have been highly volatile, underscoring mounting commercial disruption and risk.