Ceasefire Quiets Hormuz Strait as Iran Routes Ships Amid Mines Warning

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains well below normal despite a U.S.-Iran ceasefire, with only about 15 ships entering or leaving since April 8, far short of the pre-crisis average. Iran’s IRGC has ordered vessels to pass through Iranian waters near Larak Island to avoid mines, creating restricted zones and raising risk for ships not authorized by Tehran. Hundreds of tankers are stuck in the Gulf, contributing to a surge in oil prices and a disruption of global supply; Western leaders oppose tolls on strait passage while the ceasefire condition called for reopening the strait.