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Thu, 09 Jul 2026

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 Big fall in oil, gas and cargo ships taking US-backed Hormuz route after new strikes

Data shows a decline in the number of ships - many carrying oil and gas - going through the waterway after attacks this week.

* Just 23 tankers and cargo ships crossed the strait on Wednesday, down from 47 a week before
* This is despite a deal signed in June that included steps to re-open the strait and ease tensions
* Iran insists it has the right to control movement through the strait and introduce fees for ships to pass
* The US and its allies oppose this, saying passage must be free and open as it was before the conflict began
* Iranian attacks on three tankers using a US-recommended route have caused a slump in traffic through the Omani route
* No ships used the Omani route on Wednesday, down from an average of 10 per day in the previous week
* Maritime experts say this is part of a familiar pattern of tit-for-tat strikes between the US and Iran