Trump Claims US Has ‘Total Control’ of Hormuz as Ship Traffic Falls to One-week Low
• Iran rejects claim, says waterway remains blocked until conditions are met •Only eight vessels transited on Tuesday, down from 130 daily before war • Six killed as Houthis strike
The United States claims total control of the Strait of Hormuz, as shipping traffic through the vital waterway plummeted to its lowest level in a week, amid ongoing tensions with Iran. President Trump asserted the U.S. would retain the waterway, describing it as a "wall of steel" and claiming Iran could do little to challenge it. However, Iran rejects this claim, stating the strait remains blocked until Iran's conditions are met.
Only eight vessels were tracked transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, down from the pre-war average of 130 ships per day. This is the lowest daily figure since August 5, raising concerns over global oil supplies and energy prices. The International Energy Agency (IEA) cut its 2026 oil demand forecast due to the prolonged closure of the waterway, with global oil supplies falling short of pre-pandemic levels.
The crisis extends beyond the Strait of Hormuz, with renewed attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea. Six people were killed in an attack on a cargo vessel off Yemen, marking the first known deaths from Houthi attacks in the region during the current escalation. The U.S. has intensified its blockade of Iranian ports, with a military helicopter firing at an Iranian-flagged vessel violating the blockade.
Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict remain uncertain, with no progress reported on extending a ceasefire.
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