Mideast live: Oil tanker struck by projectile in Strait of Hormuz off Oman

Six months of war: 20 dead in 68 incidents near Hormuz, IMO says

The Strait of Hormuz has been the main focus of the six-month war between Iran and the US and Israel, with many commercial vessels targeted in the vital conduit for oil and gas shipments.

In total, 68 incidents have been confirmed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in the Gulf and neighbouring bodies of water, the equivalent of one every 2.6 days.

Across all incidents, at least 20 seafarers or port workers were reported killed, 35 wounded and one missing, the UN maritime agency said.

About half of the incidents have involved tankers, 20 percent container ships and 15 percent bulk carriers.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) classified 47 of the incidents as attacks.

Liberia-flagged vessels have been most affected, being involved in 13 incidents, followed by 10 vessels each from Panama and the Marshall Islands.

Iran-flagged vessels were reported as being involved in four incidents.

Pakistan says army chief held talks with Iran focussed on preventing further escalation of Middle East conflict

Pakistan’s ​army chief ​Asim Munir held discussions with Iran that ​were ‌focussed ⁠on measures including the ‌prevention of a ⁠further escalation of the conflict and ​the reopening ‌of the Strait of Hormuz, ‌the Pakistani military said ​in a statement on Tuesday.

Munir discussed ​regional peace ​and ways ​to reach a negotiated ​settlement to disputes, the statement added.

Commodity vessel transits through Strait of Hormuz fall to three-month low, data shows

Only one ​commodity vessel transited ​the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the ​lowest ‌number since ⁠May 7, preliminary ‌shipping data showed on ⁠Tuesday.

One very large gas carrier entered ​the strait ‌from the Gulf of Oman on Monday, ‌initial data from ​shiptracker Kpler showed at 0251 GMT, compared with six ​vessels of ​all types ​on Sunday. The figures could ​change as some ships had switched off transponders on their ⁠way through.

Oil tanker struck by projectile off Oman

An oil tanker was struck and disabled by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Oman, causing damage but no casualties, a British maritime agency said early Tuesday.

«The Master of an oil tanker reports the vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile causing damage to the engine room and disabling the vessel,» with the crew reported as safe, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.

The incident occurred nine nautical miles (16.7 kilometres) northeast of Ash Shishah in Oman, it said.

The online statement did not specify the vessel’s nationality or direction of travel.

Oil prices steady as investors weigh impact of expanded US sanctions against Iran

Oil prices steadied on Tuesday, after falling more than 2% in the previous session, as investors assessed the impact of harsher US secondary sanctions against Iran.

Brent crude futures were down 9 cents, or 0.1%, at $92.16 by 0104 ​GMT, while US ‌West Texas Intermediate crude was up 1 cent at $85.02 a barrel.

Both contracts fell ⁠more than 2% on Monday with US crude oil falling to a one-week low on profit taking after prices rallied over the previous two weeks.