At least 10 seafarers have been killed and several more severely wounded in a series of attacks on commercial vessels around the Gulf since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, Al Jazeera reports.

Natasha Brown, a spokesperson from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), says the agency has confirmed 25 attacks on commercial shipping since February 28. Hundreds of ships have been stranded in the Gulf since.

“Around 20,000 civilian seafarers remain aboard vessels in the Persian Gulf, facing dwindling supplies, fatigue, and severe psychological stress,” Brown explains.

Following an extraordinary council session in March, the IMO says it is working with “relevant states on the development of a safe passage framework” to evacuate stranded crews while coordinating access to supplies.