Commercial traffic through Strait of Hormuz drops after Iran says waterway is closed

Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply after Iran said it was again closing the passage, according to a newsflash published by Odaily citing China Central Television (CCTV). Data cited by Iran from commercial shipping trackers showed that only 11 commercial vessels passed through the strait in the past 24 hours. That total included eight oil tankers and three cargo ships. Earlier on local time July 12, the navy of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that it had fired warning shots at a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The statement said the current unsafe situation was caused by what it called “illegal interference by foreign powers.” Iran said the strait would remain temporarily closed until further notice, and that no ships would be allowed to pass until the United States ended its intervention in the region. The report did not provide additional operational details beyond the vessel count and the IRGC statement.