Hormuz vessel crossings extend slide on fresh US-Iran attacks

SINGAPORE, July 21 (Reuters) - Vessel crossings via the Strait of Hormuz dropped further at the start of the week, shipping data showed, as caution grew following a fresh exchange of attacks between the United States and Iran.

A total of four commodity vessels crossed the strait on Monday, mostly on the Iranian route, down from seven the previous day, Kpler data showed.

The four vessels included two tankers that exited the strait as well as two vessels that entered.

The two vessels that exited comprised a tanker that was carrying petrochemicals and one that was empty.

Meanwhile, the two vessels that entered the strait included a bitumen tanker and an oil tanker.

There were no visible very large crude carrier (VLCC) or liquefied natural gas tankers passing through the strait on Monday.

Shipping tensions intensified further as Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they were imposing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, a move that threatens to disrupt global energy supplies beyond the Gulf.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday it had received multiple reports that a tanker had messaged that it had been struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers said two of its managed vessels were hit by projectiles of unknown origin on Monday while sailing off the coast of Oman, while a third tanker was struck by a drone at Russia's Novorossiysk CPC terminal in the Black Sea.