Strait of Hormuz Ship Traffic Falls to Lowest Point in a Month After Strikes

Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted after Iran’s attack on a Cypriot-flagged container ship over the weekend set off an exchange of strikes with the United States, culminating in President Trump saying he would reimpose the U.S.blockade on Iran.Just 14 ships passed through the waterway on Sunday in both directions, the fewest in a month, according to figures from Kpler, a maritime data firm.Mr.

Trump said in a social media post on Monday that he would reinstate the U.S.Navy’s blockade of Iranian ports, which would prevent “Iran’s ships or customers from entering or leaving” the strait.He added that the United States would provide security for other ships in the waterway but would charge a fee at the “rate of 20% on all cargo shipped” for “any and all costs necessary.”Before the start of the war in late February, an average of more than 130 vessels transited the strait daily.

In mid-June, when the United States and Iran signed a preliminary agreement to reopen the strait, traffic spiked.In the seven days starting June 20, nearly 400 ships moved through the strait, the most in a one-week period since the war began.But hopes for a recovery in shipping quickly faded with Iran’s renewed attacks on ships.

U.S.forces launched a round of strikes on military targets in Iran that spilled into Monday.

The operation, which used fighter jets, naval vessels, aerial drones and, for the first time, sea drones, aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial ships.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....