Strait of Hormuz sees record 28 ship attacks in October

Noam Raydan: Noam Raydan is a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy specializing in maritime security tracking. He compiles and analyzes incident data through the institute's interactive map. Raydan reported that October saw the highest number of confirmed ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waterways since the escalation of US-Israeli conflict with Iran. UK Maritime Trade Operations: UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) is the British maritime security service responsible for monitoring threats to commercial shipping and issuing related advisories. It collects voluntary incident reports from vessel operators in high-risk areas. UKMTO recorded a sharp increase in ship damage incidents in the region during October amid challenges with underreporting. Washington Institute for Near East Policy: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy is a Washington-based think tank that analyzes Middle East security and policy issues. Senior fellow Noam Raydan maintains its interactive shipping incident map, which has tracked maritime security events worldwide since 2017. The institute's data compilation formed the basis for identifying October 2026 as the record month for attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Conflict Timeline: The surge in attacks aligns with the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran that began in late February 2026. Maritime Security: Voluntary reporting limitations mean security services like UKMTO may not capture the full extent of incidents in the region. Geopolitical Tensions: Iran has intensified attacks in the Strait of Hormuz to pressure global energy markets ahead of the November US midterm elections.