Two ships sink near Hormuz after being hit by projectiles

LONDON: A container ship and a dry bulk carrier both sank near the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride, a small container vessel with a capacity of 2,824 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), sank while sailing through the strait, according to maritime security sources. “GFS PRIDE…