This week, Iranian fishermen along the Persian Gulf put aside their usual morning fishing to search for iPhones and French perfume drifting across the Strait of Hormuz after a projectile sank a ship loaded with containers.
After the container ship GFS Pride sank on October 14, hundreds of local men took small boats out to the warm coastal waters. The accident sent over 2,500 shipping containers into the sea.
Video from the scene showed many small boats weaving between half-submerged containers as locals pulled cargo boxes from the water. In one popular clip, a small motorboat tried to tow a huge shipping container.
There are conflicting reports about how the ship was destroyed. Singapore, where the ship was registered, said it sank after a sudden fire on board, but all 21 crew members were safely evacuated.
However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said the ship went off its approved route and hit a sea mine, which caused the fire. The loss of the GFS Pride is only the third ship lost in the current conflict, showing a rise in IRGC attacks in this important trade area.
As the maritime situation remains tense, top military officials linked the reopening of the strait to regional politics. Army spokesman Brig Gen Mohammad Akraminia warned that Iranian forces would remove United States troops if they stayed in the area.
“If America leaves the region, the Strait of Hormuz will open, collective security will be established… and the global economy will improve,” Akraminia said. He also urged commercial shipowners to use the approved security routes.
At the same time, fighting increased in other important shipping lanes near the Arabian Peninsula. The Saudi-led coalition said it stopped several missiles and drones aimed at Riyadh and Yanbu, while Houthi forces increased their siege on Taiz, Yemen.