Strait of Hormuz transits collapsed further this week. Kpler data showed only 2 ships crossed on Thursday Sep 10, down from 7 the day before and 12 the day before that [1][2]. Wednesday saw 9 commodity vessels, also the lowest for the month [2]. Most ships sail dark with transponders off to avoid detection [2].

Bab al-Mandeb saw a sharper plunge: 6 vessels crossed Thursday versus 30 on Wednesday, as Houthi forces consolidated control of Mokha port [2]. The Houthis maintain a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and have attacked ships carrying OPEC crude [2].

514 commercial vessels are stuck in the Arabian Gulf as of Thursday [2]. US Central Command says it destroyed 5 Iranian crude oil carriers this week; the IRGC claims extensive damage to 2 US warships, 8 tankers, and 10 other vessels — unconfirmed [2]. Since Sep 1, US forces attacked 10 tankers, more than the previous four months combined, driven by a new tanker-for-tanker policy [2].

Yanbu, Saudi Arabia's Red Sea bypass port, rebounded to 3.7M bpd in September from 3.2M bpd in August, though Kpler's lower estimate is 2.9M bpd [1]. Vortexa says August was the lowest since the Iran war began [1].

Brent rose 2.55% to $103.80 and WTI to $98.89 on the escalation [2]. IMO records 73 confirmed attacks since the conflict began, 21 seafarer deaths [2].