Iran Appears to Lose Some Control of Strait of Hormuz as Ships Shift to Omani Route

The battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz has become a major focal point of the Iran war.

Commercial vessels navigate near the Strait of Hormuz as shipping routes shift amid the conflict between the United States and Iran. [Photo: U.S. Central Command Facebook]

In recent months, both Iran and the United States have claimed the upper hand, creating uncertainty over who effectively controls the crucial waterway, David Goldman reported for CNN.

Recent shipping data, however, indicates that Iran's ability to control commercial traffic through the strait has weakened.

More than 80% of vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz over the previous two weeks used the Omani route, according to Kpler, which tracks ships through transponders and satellite data.

Iran has opposed the Omani route and has attacked vessels attempting to use the passage.

Despite the risks, many ships have recently chosen the route, with U.S. naval forces offering protection to commercial vessels.

“It increasingly looks like Iran has at least partially lost control of the strait,” Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at Kpler, said.

The shift represents a significant change from a month earlier, when Kpler observed virtually no commercial traffic using the Omani route. However, overall shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted and well below normal levels.