LONDON, U.K.: Two commercial ships have sunk near the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on October 14.

The incidents have increased concerns about the safety of shipping in the key waterway amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States.

Attacks around the strait have increased over the past 10 days. Iran has said it is stepping up strikes in response to the U.S. blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month.

The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride, a small container ship with a capacity of 2,824 standard containers, sank while passing through the strait, according to maritime security sources.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said the vessel caught fire after being damaged. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. The ship had been sailing through the strait on October 13.

In a separate incident, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Cape Dao sank near the waterway weeks after it was hit by a projectile on September 23, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN agency responsible for international shipping.

One crew member was killed in that incident, while the remaining crew members were evacuated shortly after the attack, maritime sources said.

The UAE-based manager of the Cape Dao, Peonies Shipmanagement FZE, could not immediately be reached for comment. The UAE-based manager of the GFS Pride, GFS Ship Management FZE, was also unavailable for comment.

The two vessels are the second and third ships to have sunk since the US-Iran war began on February 28, according to an analysis of IMO casualty data.

Singapore's maritime authority expressed concern over the continued attacks on commercial vessels in the strait.

"MPA is deeply concerned about the continued attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," it said in a statement.

Maritime risk management company MARISKS also warned that the incidents showed the continuing danger to commercial shipping passing through the waterway. The company said the threat was not limited to oil tankers, as container ships and bulk carriers were also suffering serious damage.

Growing Threat to Global Shipping

The latest incidents have increased concerns about security in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for international energy supplies. Before the war, about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed through the waterway.

Iran has sought to increase its control over the strait since US and Israeli strikes against the country began on February 28. Restrictions on shipping have been used to pressure Washington.

Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran was increasingly using new tactics against ships passing through the strait. They said Iran aimed to keep oil prices high and influence the US midterm elections.

Although Iran and the United States have mainly focused their attacks on oil tankers, other commercial vessels have also been targeted, disabled or sunk.

In March, the Maltese-flagged container ship Safeen Prestige was hit by a projectile and later sank north of the Strait of Hormuz.

In April, Iran's Revolutionary Guards attacked and seized the container ship MSC Francesca.