Middle East live: Hormuz shipping traffic falls as Iran US talks stall The shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted to just seven vessels on Thursday, a stark reminder of the region's fragile security landscape and its potential to strangle the world's energy supply.
The usual hum of activity at this critical chokepoint was eerily quiet, with four ships entering and three exiting the waterway, which carries nearly one fifth of global shipments of crude oil and liquefied natural gas.
The sudden drop off is a direct consequence of the US Iran stalemate, which has created an atmosphere of heightened security risks that's making shipping companies think twice about navigating this treacherous stretch of water.