Shipping

Blockades and fees: Why are the US’s actions in Hormuz legal while Iran’s are not? - interview

Though US President Donald Trump has since abandoned the idea, he suggested that vessels should pay a 20% fee on all cargo transiting the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for US military protection.

The Epaminondas ship is seen during seizure by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, in this image obtained by Reuters on April 24, 2026.
The VLCC Mobassa B (previously named Front Forth), one of the two tankers which the UAE defense ministry said was struck by Iranian cruise missiles while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, seen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, August 18, 2024

Iran's attacks on Emirati tankers leaves Gulf united against Islamic regime - analysis

The Horn of Africa is seen on a map (illustrative)

Horn of Africa growing increasingly important in Middle East power plays - analysis

A ship in the Strait of Hormuz, June 2026

Strait of Hormuz traffic slows as US-Iran conflict raises new safety risks


Trump says Strait of Hormuz open to commercial traffic

"We had a meeting with them, where they agreed to a deal that was perfect for us...And then, after that, they left the room and within an hour they launched a drone at a ship," Trump said.

This frame grab taken from AFPTV video footage on July 12, 2026 shows cargo ships anchoring near the Strait of Hormuz off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates at Khor Fakkan.

Pineapples stuffed with thousands of smuggled cigarettes intercepted by IDF at Gaza crossing

The cigarette-filled pineapples were transported in a truck carrying a shipment purchased by an Israeli company, intended to reach the Kerem Shalom Crossing as part of humanitarian aid.

Pineapple filled with cigarettes intended to be smuggled across the border into Gaza.

Iran using Gulf attacks to force control over Strait of Hormuz shipping, analysts warn

Iran’s recent escalations against Gulf nations proved that the MoU, which was “intended as a vehicle for de-escalation,” has exposed the absence of any real “durable” peace framework in the Gulf.

This aerial photograph shows boats anchored off Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula near the Strait of Hormuz on June 27, 2026.

Trump warns US can wipe out Iran's power grid in 'small part of an afternoon' if deal not reached

The president said, "We freed up the blockade because we're close to maybe making a deal - I don't know, look - we're going to win one way or the other."

US President Donald Trump gestures after ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq during an event to mark the launch of "Trump Accounts" in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, July 6, 2026.

Coast Guard removes environmentalist ship from US 250th anniversary parade over political banners

The ship had banners that read, "Save the Clean Water Act" and "Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions."

People watch Macy's Fourth of July fireworks as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, from a ship at Brooklyn Bridge Marina, in New York City, US, July 4, 2026

No favors and no illusions: The need of the hour is political and economic independence

The munitions crisis and embargo in the latest war are a wake-up call requiring us to strive for comprehensive national independence - diplomatic, economic, and armament-related.

Esther Luzzatto

UN shipping agency pauses Strait of Hormuz evacuation plan in wake of cargo ship attack

US officials told The Wall Street Journal that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind the attack on a Singaporean-flagged ship.

TOPSHOT - In this picture obtained from Iran's ISNA news agency on June 18, 2026, vessels are seen anchored in Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Hormuz strait rules include enforcing penalties, revoking permissions if ships do not comply

The United States has not confirmed the number of mines laid by Iran, though a Whitehouse official confirmed to CNBC earlier this month that more than 40 minelaying vessels had been destroyed.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the day he addresses a special session of the Conference on Disarmament at the United Nations, aside of US-Iran talks in Geneva, Switzerland, February 17, 2026.

Ship traffic plunges after Iran re-closes Strait of Hormuz following Israeli strikes on Lebanon

Five vessels passed the strait on Sunday, from 26 ships spotted a day earlier, data from analytics firm Kpler showed.

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 16, 2026.

Hormuz must be cleared of 80 mines, may not open until year's end, says tanker body - report

Richard Meade, editor-in-chief at the maritime data provider Lloyd’s List, said that he doesn't believe the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will return to normal before the end of the year.

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 15, 2026.