Two vessels—a container ship and a dry bulk carrier—sink near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents over the past 24 hours, maritime officials and sources say. The attacks occur amid a recent surge in violence in the area.
Reports say the number of attacks around the waterway has increased over roughly the past 10 days. Iran links the escalation to retaliatory action, stating it is stepping up strikes in response to a U.S. blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. Other details of responsibility, timing, and the vessels’ conditions differ by report, but all accounts describe projectile hits and the subsequent sinking of both ships.
