Reports of ships attacked in and around the Strait of Hormuz have reached a record high, according to Verify analysis of data from a UK maritime agency.
Attacks continued this week as the container ship GFS Pride sank following a strike by an unknown projectile in the strait on Tuesday, while six vessels were struck last Sunday according to the UKMTO, marking a one-day high.
Experts state that Tehran has been attacking ships to assert greater control over the waterway while the US military increases the number of tankers it shepherds through the south of the strait to evade Iranian strikes.
According to experts, Iran is also carrying out more attacks on vessels further away from the Strait of Hormuz.