DUBAI (Realist English). Iran is escalating attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, deliberately targeting engine rooms. According to regional naval groups and consulting companies, at least 23 incidents involving ships were recorded in and around the strait in the first two weeks of October, with at least five vessels suffering direct hits to their engine rooms.
Change of tactics
As Bloomberg notes, Iran is increasingly using missiles instead of drones. A hit to the engine room causes a fire and a complete loss of propulsion and thrust, disabling the vessel for months and requiring costly repairs. Last week, at least two vessels sank after strikes, including a container ship whose containers were later found drifting off the coast of the UAE.
This tactic resembles the “Tanker War” of the 1980s between Iran and Iraq, when both sides deliberately attacked the engine rooms of enemy vessels to halt their movement.
Iran’s official position
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirms the strikes, stating they are carried out against vessels violating Iranian rules. According to Iranian state media, the tankers struck by mines south of Hormuz were traveling on an “unauthorized southern route” with navigation and positioning systems turned off.
IRGC Navy Commander Admiral Ali Ozmai warned that any vessel turning off navigation systems while transiting the strait will be considered “hostile.”
Consequences for shipping
The rise in attacks is exacerbating the shortage of available tankers — one of the key constraints on the global oil market. Phillip Belcher, marine director at the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), said: “As the number of attacks has surged, fires causing damage to engine rooms and loss of propulsion are occurring more frequently.”
Although Kpler data shows that average daily oil exports from Middle Eastern countries over the past seven days slightly exceeded pre-war levels, the escalation of attacks could further exacerbate the vessel shortage.
What stands behind the attacks
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies passed before the war, remains the main sticking point in negotiations between Iran and the US. Tehran established control over the strait after the war began in late February, requiring all vessels to obtain permission to transit. The US responded with a naval counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran’s change of tactics — from drones to missiles and from hull strikes to engine room strikes — indicates an attempt to maximize damage while maintaining plausible deniability.
A vessel with a destroyed engine room does not sink immediately but is disabled for months, creating long-term pressure on the freight market. If attacks continue, the tanker shortage could become a more significant factor for oil prices than supply disruptions themselves. For negotiations, this means Iran retains an escalation advantage: each new attack strengthens its position without requiring a direct confrontation with the US fleet.
