Number of ships crossing Strait of Hormuz falls by 80% amid escalation — Bloomberg

NEW YORK, June 29. /TASS/. Commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz less frequently over the weekend due to carriers' concerns over the latest escalation of the conflict between the US and Iran, Bloomberg reported, citing data from shipping tracking services.

According to the data, 12 ships transited the strait in both directions on Sunday. This is less than half the number recorded on Saturday, when one of the tanker attacks occurred. On that day, commercial ships crossed the waterway 28 times.

On June 24, before the latest escalation, 58 ships transited the strait, the highest number since late February, when the US and Israeli military operation against Iran began. According to the agency, shipowners are divided on the near-term prospects for shipping through the strait.

Some vessels heading for the maritime corridor hesitated to attempt the transit. Shipowners interviewed by the agency said they have temporarily put their plans for transit through the strait on hold.

Earlier, the US Central Command announced new strikes on several military targets in Iran at the direction of President Donald Trump. The command's statement noted that the strikes were in response to Iran's alleged attack on a commercial vessel on June 25. According to the command, a second attack occurred on June 27, when a kamikaze drone struck the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku. The following day, the US and Iran reached an agreement to mutually cease strikes and hold consultations in Doha on June 30 to resolve differences over the Strait of Hormuz, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported, citing his own sources.