Hormuz Strait Opens to Select Vessels as War Looms
Amid the US-Israel war on Iran, Tehran says the Strait of Hormuz is open to all vessels except the US and its allies, with the IRGC warning it would burn any crossing ships. Several vessels have been allowed to pass: a Pakistani-flag tanker, two Indian tankers, and a Turkish-owned ship after Tehran’s permission; China is in talks to secure passage for crude and LNG, while France and Italy have sought access. Oil prices surged above $100 as markets weighed potential disruption, and Western allies signaled limited willingness to join a naval effort to keep the strait open, despite Trump’s call for a coalition.