22 commercial vessels cross Hormuz before Trump blockade

Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washinghton

At least 22 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the 24 hours before US President Donald Trump's 4:00 p.m. ET deadline for the "Iranian blockade" to take effect, according to MarineTraffic data.

The traffic included 14 inbound vessels —11 cargo ships and three tankers— and eight outbound vessels, comprising four cargo ships and four tankers. The volume remained well below the pre-war average of about 110 daily transits.

Earlier today, three Liberia-flagged oil tankers were targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, leaving nine crew members injured or missing as military exchanges between the United States and Iran intensified across the Gulf.

Trump announced on Monday that Iranian vessels and their customers would be barred from entering or leaving the strategic waterway, while vessels from other countries would continue to enjoy "fair" access. He also declared that the United States would become the Strait's "guardian," later replacing a proposed 20% transit charge with planned trade and investment agreements with Gulf states.

Before the Iran war, the Strait of Hormuz carried about 20% of global oil supplies and remains one of the world's most important energy shipping routes. Oil prices rose about 2% on Tuesday to a one-month high.