US pauses effort to guide vessels from the Strait of Hormuz Trump said he was making the move based "on the request of Pakistan and other countries” President Donald Trump said he has paused the effort to guide stranded commercial vessels from the Strait of Hormuz in order to finalise a deal with Iran to end the war. Trump also said the US blockade of Iranian ports would continue. He announced the decision in a social media post Tuesday evening. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment offering further detail. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier that major US military operations against Iran are over. He said Iran must agree to US demands on its nuclear program and reopen the strait, a waterway vital to global oil and gas supplies. Rubio said recent clashes with Iran related to US efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz were "defensive in nature." US forces had launched an effort to guide commercial ships through the strait, but so far only two vessels are known to have passed through. Trump announced the decision in a social media post on Tuesday evening, saying he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for US efforts to final a settlement with Iran to end the war. Trump said he was making the move based "on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran." He added that the US blockade of vessels leaving Iranian ports would remain in place. "We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom ... will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump wrote on social media. Shortly after Trump's post, US crude oil futures fell $2.30 and broke below $100 per barrel, a much-watched threshold since the conflict sent energy prices soaring two months ago. The White House did not immediately reply to a request for comment on what progress had been made, or how long the pause would last.
US pauses effort to guide vessels from the Strait of Hormuz Trump said he was making the move based "on the request of Pakistan and other countries” President Donald Trump said he has paused the effort to guide stranded commercial vessels from the Strait of Hormuz in order to fin…
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Anadolu reports that shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 88% in the past 24 hours, dropping from an average of 33 daily transits to only four vessels, according to IMF PortWatch data. This reduction follows reports that Houthi forces have advanced to key coastal locations, including Mokha and Mayun Island, coinciding with a 91% decline in oil and chemical tanker passage.
Satellite imagery shows extensive damage to a key Saudi Arabian oil pipeline, a development that has reportedly disrupted operations. The assessment is based on a machine-translated headline from an Arabic-language source, so the specific extent of the impact remains unverified.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 93,864 people have been newly displaced in Yemen following recent clashes between Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi militias, while the UNHCR noted that hostilities along the western coast have prompted some individuals to cross into Djibouti.
These developments have raised concerns regarding the safety of humanitarian and commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as nearly half of Yemen’s population reportedly requires assistance amid growing food insecurity.
The Japanese Shipowners' Association reportedly estimates that Saudi oil deliveries to Asia could take approximately 100 days round trip if the Bab el-Mandeb Strait is closed, a significant increase from the current 40-day route via the Strait of Hormuz.
This potential disruption, which Asashi notes would raise transportation costs, is described in the source material as following the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, an event the article attributes to a US-Iran conflict ongoing since February 28.