Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply depressed. Kpler preliminary data counted 4 visible commodity-vessel transits on Thursday Sep 17, down from 6 a day earlier and well below the 10-day average of about 16 [1]. Three vessels entered the Gulf; one exited. The count included two Panamax tankers, one Supramax bulk carrier and one Kamsarmax vessel — no VLCCs or LNG carriers [1]. Vessels with AIS transponders switched off are not captured, so actual movements may exceed the published figure [1].

The IRGC claimed to have struck an oil tanker inside the Strait of Hormuz on Sep 18, reported by IRNA via Khaleej Times [2]. No independent wire corroboration was retrieved; the strike's location, vessel identity and cargo status remain unconfirmed. The claim comes amid broader regional escalation, with the war's extension into Yemen threatening further supply disruption [2].

Insurance-based closure remains operative. Oil passage through Hormuz cannot be confirmed from these sources. The Sep 16-17 transit counts (3-4 visible ships per Reuters/Kpler) continue single-digit daily crossings against a pre-crisis baseline of ~85 per day [1].