Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic collapses as IRGC escalates

Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply over the past week, with an average of just 10-15 ships transiting daily. Wednesday marked the first full day of the reinforced US blockade, and no VLCCs or LNG tankers crossed the strait, according to vessel tracking data.

Oil tankers still moving through are limited to Iranian exports using the northern corridor, alongside a highly restricted flow of regional Arab Gulf crude. LNG exports have effectively halted.

The IRGC reaffirmed that no oil or gas will pass through the strait so long as US attacks continue. The group also said it launched an attack on the US command center in Syria's Al-Tanf.

Both sides continue trading strikes, with no sign of a truce or accord. The de facto closure of the strait, once dismissed as a rhetorical threat, is now the operating reality for global energy markets.