US blockade halves Hormuz traffic, military ops continue in Iran-closed strait

After the US resumed its naval blockade on Iranian ports, the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz dropped from 13 to 7 on Wednesday. Military operations intensified after Iran announced it had closed the strait, paralyzing this critical route that carries one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments.

Scraper SystemJuly 16, 2026, 01:38 PM

US blockade halves Hormuz traffic, military ops continue in Iran-closed strait

The US reimposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports immediately halved traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the Middle East's most strategic waterways. According to Kpler shipping data, only 7 ships passed through the strait on Wednesday, the first day of the blockade, down from 13 the previous day.

Military operations intensified after Iran announced on Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, bringing this route, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments, to a near standstill. Most transits occurred on the Iranian side.

Of the four empty ships that entered the Gulf on Wednesday, three were small oil tankers and one was a dry bulk carrier carrying grain. The three ships exiting the strait were carrying liquefied petroleum gas, coal, and fuel oil. On Tuesday, a Suezmax tanker carrying 1 million barrels of Saudi oil was reported to have exited the strait with its transponder turned off. No very large crude carrier (VLCC) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker transits were recorded on Wednesday.

Source: Al-Monitor

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