Second vessel also reportedly sinking as rise in strikes suggests Iran trying to close waterway before US elections

A container ship has ⁠sunk near the strait of Hormuz and a second cargo vessel was reportedly sinking amid the sharpest rise in Iranian attacks on shipping since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.

The increase in attacks suggests Iran is trying to fully close the strategic waterway in a deliberate attempt to frustrate Donald Trump’s efforts to bring down fuel prices before the US midterm elections on 3 November.