US Central Command says that commercial maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz increased on Saturday, even as Iran announced the closure of the vital waterway.
Safe passage remained intact, with 55 merchant ships transiting the Strait, US Central Command said in an X post on Saturday. The vessels moved more than 17 million barrels of oil to global markets, according to Centcom.
The Joint Maritime Information Center affirmed safe passage along a designated route "free of arbitrary requirement claims or impediments." US forces remained "present and vigilant" to ensure the agreement with Iran was followed and fully enforced, Centcom said.
Iran, however, said it had shut the vital shipping route again, threatening a critical corridor for global crude shipments. The decision could push energy prices higher after they eased about 9% last week on signs of peace‑agreement implementation.
Conflicting claims have increased the risk of renewed volatility in crude markets, as traders assess potential supply disruptions. Iran’s threat of further escalation keeps a bullish risk premium in play as the peace‑agreement timeline faces growing strain.
