Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to eight vessels on August 12—the lowest daily count in a week—amid escalating hostilities across the region. Kpler data shows this figure represents a sharp decline from the previous 10-day average of approximately 12 ships and marks the smallest daily total since August 5.
Only one vessel, a coal tanker, completed passage through the strait on August 11, while seven others remained en route, all following an Iranian maritime corridor. This stark reduction contrasts sharply with pre-conflict levels, when the strait typically handled 130–140 ships daily before its closure on February 28.
The decline follows reports of coordinated strikes by U.S. forces and Yemeni Houthi groups, alongside Tehran’s declaration that the strait will remain closed until Washington accepts Iranian demands. Recent developments include a July 11 deadline set by the United States for Iran to cease attacks, which Iran countered claimed were due to technical failures in defense systems.
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps naval forces subsequently enforced an unannounced closure of the strait, prompting U.S. Central Command to launch renewed operations targeting southern Iranian infrastructure. In response, Tehran escalated strikes on American military installations across Kuwait and Qatar, while the UAE reported repelling Iranian missile and drone assaults.
