Update: Three Ships Hit by Projectiles in Middle East, UK Navy Says
Three vessels were hit by suspected projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf on Wednesday, one of the heaviest days of attacks since the Iran war began.
A cargo vessel called Mayuree Naree was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, the Royal Thai Navy said. Star Bulk said its ship Star Gwyneth was also hit, as was a third vessel which is a container ship, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center.
The Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree was struck shortly after departing the United Arab Emirates, according to the Thai navy. Oman rescued 20 crew members who abandoned ship and evacuated in a lifeboat, a Thai spokesman said. Three people are missing.
UKMTO WARNING 019-26 UPDATE 001
Click here to view the full Warning⤵️https://t.co/JwxT8aIkIg
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— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) March 11, 2026
Traffic through the strait, a key chokepoint for energy and other exports, has virtually ground to a halt since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran late last month, prompting the Islamic Republic to retaliate with attacks on ships and elsewhere in the region. The near-standstill has forced some of the biggest Gulf producers to lower oil output as storage tanks start to fill.
There have been only a handful of days with three or more incidents, but also some with none, meaning Wednesday has been among the most intense period of attacks on merchant shipping in the region. UKMTO said the threat level remains “critical.”
It comes as the US has promised naval escorts to secure shipping in the region but hasn’t yet conducted any such operation. The White House on Tuesday refuted a since-deleted social media post by Energy Secretary Chris Wright that said the US Navy had escorted a tanker through the strait.
Photograph: A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world’s oil and gas passes on March 1, 2026. Photo credit: Sahar Al Attar/AFP/Getty Images
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