Oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz and approaching Iranian waters are facing higher insurance premiums and are now required to carry weapons and armed guards, The Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
Some London-based underwriters offering war risk insurance for ships on these routes now mandate specific security measures, according to the report, including a certain number of firearms, ammunition and onboard armed personnel.
The decision follows a July 7 attack in which Houthi forces in Yemen launched drones and rockets at a cargo ship off the Yemeni coast, killing two crew members.
London insurers reportedly incurred a 40-million-dollar loss due to the attack, The Telegraph said.
Shipping insurance companies consider the waterways near Iranian territory to be high-risk due to Iran-backed Houthi attacks in Yemen and ongoing tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The Telegraph also reported that vessels recently docked in Israel or sailing under certain flagged states are struggling to secure insurance, as they are considered more likely to be targeted.
Since the beginning of its term, the Trump administration designated the Houthis a foreign terrorist organization and launching a series of airstrikes aimed at disrupting the group’s attacks on shipping lanes and missile launches toward Israel.
Oman brokered a ceasefire in May between the United States and the Iran-backed group which held until the Houthis attacked and sank a cargo ship on July 6 in the Red Sea.
"We have presented 1,062 martyrs in this war, including 102 women and 38 children," Fatemeh Mohajerani said in her weekly press briefing. She added that five paramedics, five nurses, and seven emergency responders were also among the casualties.
The civilian toll also included 34 students and five educators. “A number of university professors and academic staff were also martyred,” she said, though she did not provide a specific figure.
Tehran province reported the highest number of fatalities, with 265 people killed.
The government also outlined significant damage to civilian infrastructure. Thirty-six schools across 16 provinces were damaged, along with 219 industrial units ranging from large factories to small production sites.
“Seven hospitals and 11 ambulances were hit, and approximately 8,000 residential units were damaged,” Mohajerani said.Damage was also reported to the homes of 22 university professors.
"Despite the destruction, the reconstruction process has begun," she said, adding that during the conflict, 230 schools were used as shelters and 56 were designated for displaced people.
Mohajerani also said, “The attack on Evin Prison constitutes a war crime according to international institutions.”
The numbers announced by Iran match those accounted for by rights group HRANA. In its post-war report, the group said the conflict resulted in 5,665 casualties, including 1,190 deaths and 4,475 injured, both military and civilian.
Evin Prison attack led to inmate escape, 27 remain at large
Iran’s judiciary confirmed on Tuesday that 75 inmates escaped during last month’s Israeli strike on Tehran’s Evin Prison, and 27 remain unaccounted for.
Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said most of the escapees were low-risk detainees held on minor charges or under light detention orders. “So far, 48 inmates have either returned voluntarily or been arrested,” he said.
Jahangir stressed that “there are no spies or inmates with security-related or major charges among those who escaped.” He added that the identities of those still at large are known, and they will be arrested if they do not turn themselves in.
On June 23, Israel launched multiple missiles at Tehran’s Evin Prison, calling the facility a “tool of repression.” Long seen as a symbol of Iran’s political crackdown, the prison was rocked by explosions that destroyed key areas, including several wards, the infirmary, and the visitation hall, causing immediate and devastating losses.
Among the dead were two prison officials, Ruhollah Tavasoli and Vahid Heydarpour, as well as Evin’s chief prosecutor, Ali Ghanaatkar. Numerous detainees, medical staff, visiting family members — including a young child — and a bystander were also killed.
A judiciary spokesman said on June 29 that 71 people had been confirmed dead, though authorities have yet to release a full list of victims.