Most ships in the Strait of Hormuz follow the route designated by Iran
Almost all ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz are currently following the route designated by Iran.
According to its data, 22 ships crossed the strait on July 9, 21 of which used the northern route designated by Tehran. Only one ship chose an alternative route near the coast of Oman.
It is also noted that some crews may turn off their transponders and continue sailing without transmitting data on their location. Despite the exchange of strikes between the U.S. and Iran, some ships continue to enter the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Kpler, shipping traffic in the region has decreased significantly. While 40–50 vessels passed through the strait daily before the latest escalation between the U.S. and Iran, that figure stood at about 100 vessels per day prior to the start of the war on February 28, 2026.
Source: Kpler, CNN.
On Thursday, July 9, Iran announced that it had fired ten ballistic missiles at a U.S. military base in Jordan. Meanwhile, Jordanian authorities reported that all missiles were intercepted, and there were no reports of damage or casualties.
Despite this new round of conflict in the Middle East, Iran maintains that it is not abandoning diplomacy and is attempting to restore relations with the Gulf states. Officials in Tehran claim that the U.S. and the West have mistakenly interpreted their willingness to negotiate as a sign of weakness.
