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The United States has issued an urgent warning to American-flagged commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Some shit you should know before you dig in: If you’re unaware, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the most vital maritime chokepoints in the world. Located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, this narrow waterway, which is only about 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, handles roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum and about a third of all seaborne oil shipments. Every day, an average of roughly 100 oil tankers and merchant vessels pass through it, transporting crude oil from major producers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait to markets in Asia, Europe, and beyond. When tensions get hot with Iran, Iranian officials have occasionally threatened to close the strait (which would send global oil prices skyrocketing). In addition to this, Iran has harassed (and at times seized) Western vessels transiting through the strait, which has led to significant tensions between the US and Iran.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, the US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration has issued a formal advisory warning American-flagged commercial vessels to avoid Iran’s territorial waters as much as possible while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The guidance urges ship captains to remain close to Oman’s territorial sea when traveling eastbound and to clearly deny Iranian forces permission to board if approached. At the same time, the advisory stresses that crews should not forcibly resist if a boarding occurs.
The warning comes directly after a recent incident in which Iranian forces harassed a US-flagged commercial vessel in the area. According to US officials, Iranian units used small fast boats and helicopters to approach the ship and attempted to pressure it toward Iranian territorial waters. This tactic has been used in past encounters and raises the risk of miscalculation, escalation, or seizure, especially in a narrow and heavily trafficked shipping lane like the Strait of Hormuz.
This all comes as the United States continues to move additional military assets into the region to bolster deterrence and protect freedom of navigation. US naval forces, including an aircraft carrier strike group, have been deployed or repositioned near the Strait, and American forces recently shot down an Iranian drone that approached too closely to a US aircraft carrier operating in the area.
