Ship-tracking data has revealed a dramatic drop in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, as geopolitical tensions surge across the Middle East. Over the weekend, the number of cargo vessels transiting the strategic waterway dwindled to an average of just five per day a steep decline from the ten-day average of roughly 14 ships.
According to real-time navigation analytics, Monday’s traffic remained virtually stagnant, with only four vessels recorded entering the Gulf via the strait and a solitary ship exiting. The weekend’s movements, monitored by maritime intelligence firm Kpler, were confined to smaller carriers, including two liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tankers. Tracking data showed one of those tankers departed through the Iranian side of the waterway, while the other disabled its transponder en route to India a maneuver often interpreted as an attempt to obscure its position.
The sharp reduction in commercial shipping coincides with a significant escalation in military hostilities. On Sunday evening, the United States conducted an airstrike on Iran’s Larak Island, reportedly resulting in multiple casualties. The Pentagon has yet to issue an official statement on the operation, but regional sources confirm the attack targeted Iranian military assets.
In swift retaliation, Iran’s armed forces launched a coordinated counteroffensive. Official Iranian state media reported that strikes were directed at infrastructure, maintenance depots, and fighter-jet positions at the U.S.-linked King Hussein and Azraq bases in Jordan. Simultaneously, Iranian forces targeted helicopter landing zones and U.S. military installations at the Al Minhad base in the United Arab Emirates. While casualty figures remain unconfirmed, the strikes mark a dramatic broadening of the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf’s immediate waters.
Maritime analysts warn that the sustained reduction in strait traffic could have immediate repercussions for global oil and gas markets, given that nearly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum passes through the 21-mile-wide passage. With no sign of de-escalation, shipping operators are increasingly diverting routes or delaying transits, further straining supply chains already reeling from months of volatility.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)