Almost every day in September, Iranian media reported explosions 'heard from the sea' in the Strait of Hormuz, later confirmed as Iranian drone and missile strikes on commercial ships. Confidential data shared with The New York Times by a Western security official shows Iran launched about 30 drone attacks and 10 anti-ship missile attacks weekly against transiting vessels since early August, with at least four ships hit in the past 10 days and 13 struck since Sept. 10 per British Navy monitoring. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps acknowledged striking targets every 24 hours, stating they prevent ships from passing while noting America has not responded.
Despite U.S.-led military protection efforts—including guided routes through Oman’s waters with fighter jet and helicopter support—shipping remains risky. Analysts like Gregory Brew of Eurasia Group call it a standoff where neither side seeks escalation but both want control of the waterway. While Middle East crude exports have rebounded toward prewar levels, partly due to U.S. protection and routes circumventing the strait via Kpler data, experts like Ana Subasic warn this does not signal normalized flows. U.S. Central Command declined to comment on September attacks, and the Pentagon has not announced strikes on Iran since early that month.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing