The Strait of Hormuz moves roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and LNG. Right now, ships are avoiding it.
Vessel traffic through the strait dropped sharply on July 16, 2026, one day after a brief surge of Iran-linked ships tried to squeeze through ahead of the deadline. By July 16, the window had closed. The US naval blockade was back in force.
President Donald Trump announced the blockade’s reinstatement on July 13, 2026. The policy includes a 20% reimbursement fee on cargo transiting under the security perimeter.
How we got here
This crisis has been building since late February. Iran began restricting passage through the strait on February 28, 2026, setting off a chain of escalations that sent Brent crude above $100 per barrel at its peak.
