Strait of Hormuz shipping paralyzed six months into US-Iran war

Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains paralyzed six months after the start of the US-Iran war, with an 85% reduction in vessel transits and about 6,000 sailors still stranded in the Gulf. Iran closed the strait in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on February 28. Daily crossings fell from 95 to about 15, after a temporary recovery to 36 during a June ceasefire that collapsed on July 8. About 500 ships remain trapped, with at least 20 sailors and port workers killed in related incidents. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of the world's traded oil and liquefied natural gas passed through this strategic waterway. Navigation routes have shifted, with many transits now unidentifiable due to disabled transponders and mine risks. An operation to evacuate 11,000 sailors was abandoned and depends on regional de-escalation.