Middle East regional update: Maritime traffic drops in Strait of Hormuz, Israeli strikes in Lebanon
Strait of Hormuz shipping hits lowest level since May amid tanker strikes; Israeli military actions continue in southern Lebanon.
Quick Look
- Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz hits a May low following reciprocal tanker strikes between the US and Iran.
- Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon have killed at least 10 people, including two children, amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect for over two months, yet sporadic violence continues. The US, Germany, and several Arab nations classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to the lowest level since May, according to data analytics platform Kpler.
According to its latest figures, an average of 10 commodity vessels transited the vital shipping route over the past 10 days.
Kpler recorded the number on Sunday, which was down from the 15 vessels on Friday and the 13 seen on Saturday.
The drop in maritime traffic comes amid strikes targeting tankers by the US and Iran.
On Saturday, US forces hit three Iranian oil tankers, following Iranian attacks on US warships in the region.
In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it has targeted three oil tankers travelling what it said was an unauthorized route in the strait.
The strikes over the weekend represented a "major escalation in maritime conflict," the Reuters news agency cited maritime intelligence firm Marisks as saying.
"Commercial tankers are now being deliberately used as instruments of reciprocal economic pressure, substantially weakening the previous distinction between military confrontation and commercial shipping," Marisks noted.
"Risk is therefore assessed as extreme for Iranian/Iran-linked tonnage and materially elevated for US-linked or US-escorted shipping throughout the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman," the firm said.
Overnight Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least 10 people, including two children, health officials said.
Earlier, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes struck a residential building in Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon.
The agency reported that a separate drone strike struck a vehicle with two medics inside, however, the Associated Press cited the Health Ministry as saying the strike on the car killed one paramedic and wounded two others.
Israel's military has not commented on these latest strikes, but Israel's Foreign Ministry released a statement on X referencing the militant group.
"Repeated drone attacks. Weapons storage. Terror infrastructure. Command centres embedded in civilian areas. Hezbollah continues attempting to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon. These violations will not be accepted," Israel's Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
The ministry said that Hezbollah had violated the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement, under which, the militant group would be disarmed.
"Hezbollah continues attempting to rebuild its military capabilities in southern Lebanon," the ministry said.
On Sunday, Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun pushed for Washington and the international community to help stop Israeli attacks.
Despite a peace agreement that came into effect over two months ago, flare-ups are continuing between Israel and Hezbollah.
The US, Germany and several Arab countries consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization, whereas the EU only deems Hezbollah's armed wing a terror group.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Continued volatility in oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Will the US and Iran engage in direct military confrontation?
- Can the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire be restored?
