According to CNBC, the Singapore-registered container ship GFS Pride sank in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after being struck by an unidentified projectile and catching fire. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said all 21 crew members were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. Iran's Revolutionary Guard said the vessel exploded and sank after hitting a naval mine, but the maritime security firm Marisks said there was no independent evidence to confirm that account. Marisks said Iran's claims were consistent with an ongoing psychological operations campaign aimed at generating fear, increasing uncertainty and discouraging commercial shipping in Hormuz.

Iran has stepped up attacks on commercial vessels transiting the strait in recent weeks as it tries to choke off a rebound in crude oil exports. More than 20 vessels, mostly oil tankers, have come under attack this month in Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, according to incident reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre. The International Maritime Organization said the attacks this month have left two sailors missing and 12 injured. Kpler data showed crude exports through Hormuz averaged 8.5 million barrels per day in the week ended Oct. 12, nearly 40% below normal levels before the Iran war, while shipments from the wider region stood at 14 million barrels per day, or nearly 20% below prewar levels.