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Strait of Hormuz traffic comes to a near standstill as latest 48-hour data shows

August 17, 2026 at 10:38 am

A screen grab taken from a video shows commercial vessels waiting in the Gulf of Oman after applying for transit permits to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, on June 4, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply at the start of the week following attacks on oil tankers, as US-Iran talks aimed at resolving the conflict in the Middle East stalled, according to Reuters

Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed that only five commodity vessels passed through the strait on Saturday, while none were recorded on Sunday, compared with 31 vessels over the previous weekend, Reuters added. 

An Iranian official earlier said the United States had suffered major strategic losses during the latest military confrontations, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian control. 

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, stated that the United States has sustained significant strategic losses, urging Washington to accept this reality and abandon its illusions. He warned that failure to do so would result in Iran continuing to enforce the naval blockade.

READ: Iranian parliament to debate foreign influence, Hormuz oversight bills