Hormuz vessel crossings drop amid US-Iran strikes

Vessel crossings via the Strait of Hormuz dropped further on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, with only three commodity vessels transiting, down from four the previous day, according to Kpler data. No very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or LNG tankers were observed. The decline is attributed to ongoing U.S. military strikes on Iran, now in their 11th consecutive night. Concurrently, in the Red Sea, two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia reversed course near the Bab el-Mandeb strait after threats from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, which has vowed to blockade Saudi Arabian oil shipments. The Houthis also sent emails to shipping companies warning them not to load or discharge cargo at Saudi ports or risk being targeted. This indicates the U.S.-Iran conflict is widening and potentially disrupting shipping through two of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.