Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near standstill on Thursday as renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran shattered a three-week-old ceasefire, raising fresh concerns over energy supplies and regional security.
The latest escalation has plunged the Gulf back into uncertainty after several days of missile strikes and retaliatory attacks, prompting shipowners to once again steer clear of one of the world's most critical oil transit routes.
According to shipping data, only two oil tankers had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Thursday. They included the crude supertanker Berg 1, which loaded cargo at Iran's Kharg Island and is under US sanctions, according to vessel-tracking firm Kpler.
MarineTraffic data showed that just 13 commercial vessels transited the strategic waterway over the past 24 hours—seven entering the Gulf and six leaving. Before the conflict erupted, around 110 ships crossed the strait daily, highlighting the dramatic decline in maritime traffic.
The reduction comes after shipping had begun recovering during the ceasefire and renewed US-Iran negotiations. That recovery has now reversed following fresh attacks on commercial vessels and renewed military operations across the region.
However, US Central Command has rejected Iranian claims that transit through the Strait of Hormuz is only permitted through routes designated by Iran. It said Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz.
"Since early May, US forces have helped facilitate the successful transit of more than 800 commercial vessels and 380 million barrels of crude oil through the vital international trade corridor," it said.
More than 20 US Navy warships are patrolling waters across the Middle East as CENTCOM forces continue promoting regional security and stability. Last month, US naval warships and aircraft transited the Arabian Sea in close formation, demonstrating unmatched American military strength and firepower, it added.
Despite the renewed fighting, diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes to prevent a broader regional conflict. US officials said Washington has deliberately alternated military action with pauses to provide space for negotiations, while maintaining a list of potential targets as leverage should diplomacy fail.
Regional sources said Pakistan and Qatar are working to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table in an effort to restore the ceasefire.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said the latest US military intervention had disrupted efforts to restore normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. It claimed vessel movements had recovered to about half of pre-war levels over the previous two weeks but said passage was being permitted only through routes designated by Tehran.
The renewed hostilities have also prompted strong reactions across the Gulf. Bahrain condemned what it described as repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting its territory, as well as Kuwait and Jordan, calling them a dangerous escalation that threatens regional security and violates international law, the UN Charter and the principles of good neighbourliness.
