Although two Greek-owned cargo ships were the first to cross the Strait of Hormuz since the two-week ceasefire deal was announced between the United States, Iran, and Israel, reports have emerged that the strait has since been closed due to the mass Israeli attack on Lebanon.
The first signs of renewed movement through the Strait of Hormuz emerged Wednesday morning, with two Greek cargo vessels successfully crossing and continuing eastward, according to maritime tracking data.
Despite this, analysts and shipowners remain cautious. The vital route — once handling about 20% of global oil trade — has seen a sharp drop in traffic, with hundreds of vessels still waiting at its entrances and many more anchored across the Persian Gulf.
Experts warn that while the recent crossings may signal a gradual return, it is unclear whether they reflect a broader reopening or isolated cases, and any recovery in traffic is expected to be slow and uncertain.
Nonetheless, some shipping has continued throughout the disruption, particularly involving Iranian-linked vessels and ships connected to China. Iran has maintained significant oil exports during this period, with China remaining its primary buyer.
Ceasefire hangs in balance as Iran claims strait closed
The recent agreed upon two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran now hangs in the balance after Israel launched 100 strikes in a 10 minute window on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.
US President Trump’s key condition in the ceasefire deal was to secure the “COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iran has accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire with the strikes while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that Lebanon was not included in the truce.
As a result, Tehran has reportedly blocked ships’ passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while the White House has disputed such reports. A White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said, “We have seen an uptick of traffic in the Strait today. And I will reiterate the president’s expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely. That is his expectation.”
This comes as shipping companies say they have been warned not to cross the strait without permission or risk having their ships destroyed.
UK shipbroker SSY confirmed that ships in the Gulf had received the following message which warned, “Attention all vessels. Attention all vessels. Attention all vessels in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. This is the IRGC Navy Station. Transiting the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and you need permission from the IRGC before sailing through the strait. Any vessel trying to travel into the sea will be targeted and destroyed.”
Source: Kathimerini, ABC News
