The human rights organization Human Rights Watch accused the Iranian military of attacking civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

An oil tanker carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is anchored while maritime traffic is reduced in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the conflict between the United States and Israel with Iran, in Shinas, Oman (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Archive photo). The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Tuesday that at least two civilian merchant ships were "deliberately" attacked by the Iranian military on March 11 in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, which would constitute a war crime. "Iranian forces appear to have deliberately attacked at least two civilian merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz and its vicinity on March 11, 2026," the organization warned in a press release, recalling that such deliberate attacks on civilian ships and their crews "constitute a war crime." It emphasized that war crimes "do not justify the commission of new war crimes" and urged Iran, the United States, and Israel to "immediately end the illegal attacks against civilians and civilian property," while also urging them to "stop treating such property as legitimate targets." Map showing the location of the Strait of Hormuz. Highlighting that, under International Humanitarian Law, belligerent parties "are obligated to take all possible precautions" to avoid harm to civilians and civilian property, HRW identified civilian ships with commercial ties to the United States or Israel as being of the same type. "Belligerent parties must take all necessary measures to verify that targets are of a military nature," the organization insisted, adding that those who commit serious violations legally defined "with criminal intent" could "be prosecuted for war crimes," to the extent that "individuals can also be held criminally liable for collaborating, facilitating, assisting, or being accomplices" to them. Furthermore, HRW warned that such attacks, along with threats of new attacks, can also "contribute" to a "significant increase in costs worldwide" in the energy, food, and other critical sectors, negatively impacting people's rights. The organization stated that "individuals can also be held criminally liable for collaborating, facilitating, assisting, or being accomplices" to such acts. (Reuters) In turn, noting that the world's dependence on fossil fuels is "increasingly evident," along with its connections to corporate powers and authoritarian governments, the NGO advocated for a "fair" transition to renewable energy as an "environmental and geopolitical imperative." Finally, warning that "attacks by Iranian forces on civilian ships in Ormuz will cause damage to some of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged people in the world," the organization urged Iranian forces to "immediately end" such attacks, as well as to "rescue the three crew members remaining on board the (Thai cargo ship) 'Mayuree Naree'" and release all detained sailors. (with information from AP)