Shipping data released on Wednesday showed that six ships shipping goods crossed the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, Tuesday, compared to nine ships the previous day and an average of about 12 ships in ten days.
These numbers may change, since some ships usually do not operate their transmitters and receivers during the voyage.
Preliminary data issued by Kepler showed that five ships entered the strait while one ship left it. The group included a Panamax tanker and another medium-sized tanker.
The intensity of the American-Israeli war on Iran escalated yesterday, Tuesday, as the Houthis in Yemen, allied with Tehran, launched attacks on Saudi cities. At the same time, American forces targeted several Iranian oil tankers, while Iran struck an American base in Jordan.
Meanwhile, 25 ships transporting goods crossed the Bab al-Mandab Strait yesterday, Tuesday, with 11 ships entering and 14 others exiting the other vital sea lane in the Middle East.
This compares to an average of about 27 ships that crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait over the past 10 days.
Among the ships that crossed the Bab al-Mandeb Strait were two Swiss Max tankers, eight Avra Max tankers, and a very large crude oil tanker.
Iran threatened to raise the level of confrontation with American forces in the region, noting that Washington had received a “clear warning” of new Iranian missiles.
This threat came from the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, who said that his country had tested an “anti-destroyer” missile in an attack on an American warship, adding that the operational approach towards American ships and bases had undergone a “fundamental review.” In turn, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that his country “has always opposed war,” but will continue to respond “until the aggressors completely regret it.”
Simultaneously, Washington and London tightened sanctions on the Iranian aviation sector. The United States expanded the restrictions to include all remaining Iranian airlines, as part of a package that targeted 36 destinations, including 27 airlines. As for Britain, it imposed new financial and trade restrictions, expanded the powers to target ships, and prevented Iranian aircraft from landing except in exceptional cases, indicating that these measures aim to curb the Iranian nuclear program.
Tel Aviv and London exchanged sanctions, following Britain's announcement of its intention to "impose restrictions on trade in goods with illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank in accordance with international law."
Israel was awaiting decisions from London and Paris against the settlements. But it was confronted by a Western international coalition that included, in addition to Britain and France, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.
Yesterday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced the closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem, in response to the sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom on the settlements in the West Bank. It also decided to expel UK representatives from a joint military center concerned with monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, and to end British training programs for the security forces of the Palestinian Authority.
Tel Aviv escalated its response to London, confirming that it would prevent the entry of 12 British elected officials, along with other British citizens, whom it claimed were “involved in anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activities.”
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced yesterday that his country would impose “a ban on the import of products coming from settlements.” He accused the Israeli government of "turning a blind eye" to "ethnic cleansing" carried out by settlers in the West Bank. He said, “The British government acknowledges that ethnic cleansing is underway in the West Bank, carried out by terrorist settlers.”
