Strait of Hormuz Shipping Halts Amid US-Iran Standoff

Shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz has nearly halted after two more vessels were attacked and the United States declared it could maintain a naval blockade against Iran indefinitely, escalating a standoff that threatens global energy flows. The disruption follows the collapse of a June ceasefire agreement, with a senior Iranian official stating there had been no progress in talks to extend it.

The United Arab Emirates' state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company reported that two of its ships were attacked while transiting the strait on Thursday evening. The UAE government blamed Iran for the incident, while Iran made no immediate comment. This attack came as Iran resumed operations against shipping it accuses of entering the waterway without permission since the ceasefire broke down.

Ship-tracking data underscored the dramatic slowdown in traffic. Analysis from the firm Kpler indicated that just nine vessels passed through the strait on Thursday, up from five on Wednesday but well below the pre-war daily average of over 130 ships. Early reports showed even fewer crossings on Friday, though some vessels may have traveled undetected with transponders off. The strait...