The situation in the Strait of Hormuz is showing slight signs of easing after ship tracking data indicated that the number of vessels passing through nearly doubled over the past few days, mostly ships from countries friendly to Iran.
The maritime analytics company Windward reported that at least eight commercial ships (excluding Iranian flagships) passed through the strait on Monday, a significant increase from before, while MarineTraffic data recorded nine vessels moving through from Sunday to Monday, compared to just five in the two preceding days.
Analysts suggest this trend indicates that Iran may be selectively allowing friendly countries to use the route, with ships from China, India, and Pakistan increasingly choosing to navigate Iranian waters, while Western vessels continue to avoid the area.
Although the number of ships has increased, overall transport remains extremely low, with traffic through the strait—which normally carries up to 20% of the world's oil—down more than 95% since the conflict began.
This uncertainty has driven global oil prices to surge past $100 per barrel, an increase of over 40% compared to pre-war levels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the strait remains open but closed to enemies, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had previously threatened to burn ships attempting to pass.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump affirmed that Washington can secure the shipping route independently without relying on allies, despite dissatisfaction over NATO members' lack of support for establishing an international naval force.
Recently, the U.S. military disclosed it used bunker-buster bombs to strike an Iranian missile base near the Strait of Hormuz, stating the weapons there posed a threat to international maritime navigation.
This fragile situation keeps the global energy market closely watching, as developments in the Strait of Hormuz remain a decisive factor for future energy stability.
. Source:Aljazeera
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