Iran’s top joint military command said it is closing the Strait of Hormuz to all ships, including oil tankers and commercial vessels, “until further notice” after the U.S. military launched a fresh wave of strikes against multiple targets in Iran.
But analysts say a growing number of ships are escaping the strait using a risky route close to Oman’s coastline, turning off their transponders to sneak through undetected by Iran.
Some 15 ships per day – mostly oil tankers – are going in and out via the Omani route, protected by U.S. air cover, according to a report Wednesday in the Financial Times.