Strait of Hormuz traffic falls to new low as Iran-backed group kills 6 in Red Sea
The conflict between the U.S. and Iran has spread to the Red Sea and another strategic shipping route.
Pakistan's interior minister visited Iran to discuss regional security and stability, as the nation attempts to mediate a resolution to the ongoing Iran war. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni met with Pakistanny's Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi conveyed a message from Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army to Pezeshkian, although the content was unspecified.
Pakistan's defense minister claimed that the U.S. and Iran are nearing an agreement. Iran recently proposed a route with Oman for ships using the Strait of Hormuz and is finalizing joint management arrangements. On Tuesday, the U.S. military fired on a Panama-flagged cargo ship attempting to break the American blockade of Iran's ports.
The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz dropped to a one-week low of eight, down from an average of 12 before the war began on February 28. This is the lowest daily count since August 5. The alleged Houthi strikes off Yemen that killed six people were the first known deaths from such attacks in the region since the latest fighting began.
These strikes added to an escalation by the Houthis against government forces in Yemen and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, as well as their shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia of exploiting a ceasefire to tighten their air and sea blockade imposed in 2015, stating that a settlement must include lifting the blockade.
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