An oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday off the Omani coast, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said Thursday, underscoring the persistent dangers in a waterway the White House has declared safe for shipping.
The UKMTO reported that the resulting fire was extinguished, all crew members were safe, and an investigation is underway. The attack is the latest in a string of incidents that have kept vessels away from the vital energy corridor.
Traffic remains far below pre-war levels
Confirmed crossings through Hormuz have trended lower this week and remain a fraction of pre-war levels. According to shipping analytics firm Kpler, only five ships made confirmed crossings Tuesday, down from seven a day earlier and a steep collapse from more than 130 vessels per day before the war began. All five crossings used the unilateral route Iran has designated for shipping, the tracking firm said.
The U.S. military has maintained a naval blockade against Iranian ships in the chokepoint and has been escorting oil tankers along the southern Omani lane, but the traffic data suggests many ship operators remain wary. Last week, an attack on a cargo ship transiting the strait killed a crew member.
Doubts over mine clearance
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the Hormuz waterway had been fully cleared of mines, calling it “a functioning strait.”
“Yes, every once in a while there will be a drone or a rocket or something shot, but it is a very functioning strait. A lot of oil is pouring out,” Trump said.
But U.S. allies remain skeptical that Iran’s mines in the strait have been fully cleared, according to a Bloomberg report, casting doubt over the president’s assurances.
Diplomatic and economic tensions escalate
Iran and Oman have agreed on a temporary maritime corridor intended to restore safer passage through the strait. However, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi warned that the waterway will not fully reopen until the U.S. fulfills its commitments under an interim peace deal framework signed in June, which has since lapsed.
This week, the Trump administration launched an “economic onslaught” against Iran’s financial connections worldwide, targeting countries and entities that maintain economic ties with Tehran. The escalation has effectively scuttled prospects for peace talks between Washington and Tehran.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Trump said he has “no time schedule” for resuming talks to end the six-month war. Asked whether economic pressure was more effective than military strikes, he said, “I think they are both effective.”
In response to the U.S. sanctions campaign, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on the UN and its member governments to condemn what he described as U.S. “economic terrorism,” arguing the UN bears “legal and moral responsibility” to denounce the sanctions as “illegal and criminal.”
The combination of sporadic attacks, lingering mine concerns, and escalating economic warfare suggests that the Strait of Hormuz remains far from a normal operating environment, despite political assurances to the contrary.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/27/us-iran-war-trump-hormuz-attack-mine-.html
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Do your own research and consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
