Hormuz Shipping Near Halt as US Blockade and Strikes Hit Iran
A US naval blockade and escalating airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure have collapsed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a fraction of pre-war levels, shattering a tenuous interim peace deal and tightening global energy supply risks.
US and Iranian forces exchanged heavy fire over the weekend, resulting in the death of another American service member during a controlled detonation in Iraq. The escalation shatters a 60-day interim deal meant to permanently halt the conflict. Iran announced it was suspending its commitments to the agreement, with a negotiator accusing the US of violating the terms halfway through the negotiation window.
The most severe economic fallout is unfolding at the Strait of Hormuz, which handled one-fifth of global oil supplies before the war. Traffic has plummeted from a daily average of almost 140 vessels to just eight on Saturday and three on Friday. A maritime organization overseen by the US Navy warned that the threat to mariners is severe.
The US has reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt crude exports, redirecting five ships and disabling one over the past week. US Central Command said its latest strikes targeted Iranian coastal surveillance, air defenses, and missile and drone storage sites. The campaign is designed to degrade Iran’s ability to control the vital waterway.
The conflict has also struck critical civilian infrastructure across the Gulf. Kuwait reported a second attack in two days on a power and water desalination plant, a critical vulnerability for a nation where 90% of drinking water relies on such facilities. The US has simultaneously targeted bridges, desalination plants, and electrical facilities in Iran.
Diplomatic off-ramps are closing fast. Iran’s atomic energy agency reported that a US strike hit the construction site of the Darkhovin nuclear power plant, though the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the site contained no nuclear material during its last visit. Tehran said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest US strikes.
Iran responded by firing missiles toward Jordan, prompting Israel to warn that debris could spill across the border. Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated: “We are prepared to immediately resume combat.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the attacks continue, while Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi accused Iran of war crimes.
