SINGAPORE: Hormuz shipping traffic fell to four vessel transits on Sunday from eight a day earlier as US-Iran attacks intensified and Tehran claimed two oil tankers had been disabled.
LSEG data showed that at least three refined-products tankers and one very large crude carrier had entered the Strait of Hormuz since Friday to load oil.
US Central Command said on Monday, July 20, that it had launched a new wave of strikes intended to reduce Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels. The operation marked the ninth consecutive day of US strikes against Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two tankers exploded and became immobilised after attempting to use what it described as an unsafe southern route through the strait. The statement did not identify the vessels, flags, crews or possible casualties.
Reuters could not independently verify the Iranian claim. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations separately reported a vessel fire near Oman’s coast but did not confirm its cause.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would continue responding while Iran targeted commercial shipping, although he said the United States remained open to diplomacy.
Brent crude traded above USD 90 per barrel on Monday as concerns over Gulf exports and tanker safety increased.
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The latest disruption followed the collapse of an interim ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. Both sides have since imposed restrictions on shipping linked to the other, raising uncertainty over the volume of oil and refined products that can leave the Gulf.
