Ships shun US-guided Hormuz route after Iranian attacks

Shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz remains severely depressed as commercial vessels increasingly avoid a U.S.-guided transit scheme following a series of Iranian attacks, raising profound safety concerns and threatening global energy flows. Traffic through the chokepoint, which normally sees over 100 merchant ships daily, was reduced to a fraction of that volume on July 15, with most vessels opting for routes near the Iranian coast rather than the U.S.-promoted passage closer to Oman.

The security situation has deteriorated sharply since a wave of attacks began on July 7. According to data from the United Nations shipping agency, at least five commercial vessels have been targeted in Omani waters since that date, including three crude oil supertankers, one liquefied natural gas tanker, and one container ship. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for attacks on two Emirati oil supertankers on July 14. The attacks have led multiple shipping companies to reassess the risks of transiting the strait, with several sources stating their firms have opted to halt passages due to crew safety and the deteriorating security environment.