Strait of Hormuz is effectively blocked: Expert

Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev has stated that the Strait of Hormuz has experienced sporadic tit-for-tat strikes between the United States and Iran, effectively halting international trade and commerce through the waterway. Speaking to reporters, Sachdev reported that US military actions have targeted Iranian land and maritime objectives, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has retaliated by attacking US warships and bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

According to Sachdev, the effectiveness of these strikes can be determined by the number of vessels able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, only around 10 to 15 ships are passing each day, down from an average of over 130 prior to the conflict. While some maritime traffic continues, with the US claiming to have escorted around 10 to 20 supertankers, the overall picture remains one of severe disruption to international trade.

US Central Command released footage showing an Iranian oil vessel being set ablaze and sinking in the Gulf of Oman after an Iranian missile strike on US warships. The M/T Kylo, along with two other Iranian crude oil carriers, were targeted by US military units following an IRGC missile attack on two US Navy vessels. The US military confirmed that a guided-missile destroyer and aircraft carrier evaded several incoming Iranian missiles, with zero American casualties.

The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, warned Tehran that Washington would target Iranian oil carriers if they attacked US naval vessels. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the military strikes, labeling them as breaches of the United Nations Charter and war crimes, threatening severe economic consequences for the Islamic Republic of Iran.