Strait of Hormuz Traffic Collapses as US Blockades Iranian Ports

By July 16, 2026, daily transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to three—the fewest since May—after Iran required all vessels to use a coastal channel. The US reimposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports on July 14, deploying the USS Boxer group and 2,200 marines. Brent crude, a global oil benchmark, rose from $75.50 to $82 per barrel.