Shipping in Strait of Hormuz resumes partially after US-Iran interim deal amid security concerns

The oil-shuttling service that has been crucial to getting cargoes out of the Strait of Hormuz has picked up again after a recent lull, helping millions of barrels escape as Middle East hostilities escalate.

Washington DC: The United States and the United Kingdom are planning a high-level meeting in London next week to form an international coalition to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Axios.Citing European diplomats and sources familiar with the matter, Axios reported that the meeting could gather defence ministers and military leaders from Western and Middle Eastern nations, including US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.Axios: The U.S. and U.K. are planning to convene a high-level meeting in London next week that will focus on a potential international coalition to protect maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.- The itinerary and date are still under discussion and haven't been finalized.… pic.twitter.com/bb9ZtyRefH— World Source News (@Worldsource24) July 24, 2026 The itinerary and date are still under discussion and haven't been finalised, it added.A White House official confirmed the joint initiative, while the British Embassy in Washington declined to comment, Axios reported.Citing sources, Axios reported that the move comes as the US aims to build on discussions that the UK and France had with multiple countries in recent months about a potential international coalition for the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington wants allies to send de-mining vessels, naval vessels and drones to safeguard the waterway.'Fair & Equitable': President Donald Trump Says US Will Use Frozen Iranian Funds To Pay For 'Any & All' Damage To Ships, Cargo A European diplomat told Axios that the effort is tied to a US exit strategy from the conflict with Iran, noting, "The Americans are looking for a way out and they want our help."This follows US President Donald Trump's recent threat to escalate military actions against Tehran, warning that Washington would target one Iranian bridge or power plant for every strike directed at commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz."Any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT," Trump wrote on social media."From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT..." - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/4CzDEzV8Cz— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) July 23, 2026 Signalling that Washington has no immediate intention of wrapping up the operation, he stated on Tuesday, "We're not finished at all... we're not leaving right now."The escalation comes amid ongoing clashes around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, triggered by Iran's renewed maritime blockade targeting commercial vessels, which has disrupted global oil transit. The maritime tension has driven Brent crude prices sharply higher, increasing economic pressures on the White House amid soaring fuel costs at home.Meanwhile, backchannel talks continue.An Omani delegation reached Tehran on Friday to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz.Iran War Disruptions Push Up Diet Coke Prices In India, Coca-Cola Rethinks Packaging A delegation from Oman has arrived in Iran to discuss options for managing shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States and Iran continue attacks.Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported the delegation's visit was part of ongoing consultations between Iran and Oman. It added that the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi.IRNA reported that the discussions between the two leaders focused on recent regional developments, the security of maritime navigation, and commercial shipping transit in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

The stalemate between the U.S. and Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz has created a global economic shock. Now, the conflict is threatening to disrupt international shipping through the Red Sea.

Before the conflict escalated, the Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, served as the principal transit route for nearly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies.

Iran Says Two Tankers Exploded In Hormuz Chokepoint As Ship Traffic Near Standstill Visible maritime traffic through the Hormuz chokepoint remained subdued into the new week after Iranian forces allgedly targeted tankers attempting to transit the narrow waterway, including routes close to Oman. This comes as the US and Iran have been locked in a dangerous tit-for-tat escalation that has entered its ninth day. UK maritime authorities reported an unverified vessel fire near Oman late Sunday. Reuters reports that Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed two crude oil tankers exploded and were immobilized while using what Tehran called an unsafe southern route in the Hormuz. Bloomberg ship-tracking data shows that vessels crossing the Hormuz chokepoint have come to a near standstill as Gulf escalation has surged for the ninth day, with Iran targeting not just the maritime chokepoint but also US military assets at Jordan's Aqaba airport with ballistic missiles, as well as US assets at Kuwait's Al-Adiri camp and Ali Al Salem Air Base, and in Syria. Iran also hit civilian infrastructure, notably power generation and water desalination plants in Kuwait. There is a power struggle for control over the critical strait. The US launched a series of airstrikes along the waterway to degrade Iran's offensive capabilities. US Central Command said overnight that it had begun "a new wave of strikes" aimed at "degrading" Iran's ability to attack ships in the strait. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was quoted overnight by the outlet as saying that US forces would continue targeting Iran while it attacks global shipping lanes in the strait. "The Strait of Hormuz are international waterways, and they continue to launch against the ships in that international waterway," Rubio said. He continued, "As long as Iran insists on controlling an international waterway, we're gonna have to respond to that. The United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution." In markets, Brent crude futures are flat this morning around 06:30 ET. Brent trades around $88 a barrel, while WTI futures are around $82. Brent briefly traded above the $90 handle for the first time since early June in the overnight hours but has since reversed the move. "A near-term escalation in the Mideast now appears to be the key left tail risk which could tip the index lower. Broader infrastructure strikes or a Houthi-led Red Sea disruption likely sees Brent over $100 again," UBS analyst Justinus Steinhorst noted, adding, "The desk's preferred hedges are long Mideast Resilient {UBXEMERR} and E&Ps {UBXEXPO}." Tyler Durden Mon, 07/20/2026 - 06:55

Vessel traffic through the critical oil corridor remains subdued amid escalating military action and mounting risks to global energy supplies.