The Iranian war has resulted in 20,000 sailors stranded on hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf, according to the U.N. maritime agency. This comes after Iran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes. The blockade has also trapped the largely invisible workforce that keeps the world's maritime trade afloat. At least seven seafarers have been killed and several others severely injured in what the UN says were Iranian attacks on commercial vessels. The International Maritime Organization has confirmed 18 incidents of damage to commercial vessels from March 1 to 19 in the region. The situation has worsened as ships are unable to pass through the Strait.