DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and critical for global energy supplies, stays under severe restriction more than two months after the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Shipping traffic has plummeted to roughly 5% of pre-war levels, with only a handful of vessels transiting daily amid competing blockades, sporadic attacks and stalled ceasefire negotiations.

As of May 12, 2026, the strait is not fully closed to all shipping but functions under tight Iranian control and a U.S. naval blockade. Iran has redefined the area as a vastly expanded operational zone, stretching from Jask in the east to Siri Island in the west — roughly 10 times wider than before the conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) enforces selective passage, charging tolls and requiring detailed vessel information for approved transits.

Pre-war, the strait carried about 20-25% of global seaborne oil trade and 20% of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with roughly 138 vessels passing daily. Current data shows just 17 ships in the last 24 hours, moving only about 515,000 deadweight tons — a fraction of the normal 10.3 million. Dozens of vessels loiter outside the area, waiting for safer conditions, while more than 1,500 ships remain stranded inside the Persian........

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