The Strait opened and closed again; 35 vessels were forced to turn back, and the U.S. military is reportedly using robots to clear mines.
The Strait of Hormuz reopened for less than a day before closing once more, leaving ships on both sides caught in the turmoil.
According to statistics, due to the sudden change in the strait's situation, 35 vessels that had entered the strait were forced to turn back within the past 36 hours—four of them had already passed through the strait but were compelled to urgently return after being caught between dual U.S.-Iran blockades.
A few daring vessels attempted to pass through the strait despite the risks. After warnings from Iran proved ineffective, they were fired upon, including two Indian ships.
Naturally, some vessels succeeded in passing through, mostly Iranian-linked ships subject to U.S. sanctions. The U.S. blockade sounds intimidating, but it is riddled with flaws. The number of warships dispatched by Trump is too small to effectively secure the outer perimeter of the strait. As long as ships can pass through areas controlled by Iran, there will always be ways to break through the U.S. blockade.
One Iranian merchant vessel was reportedly attacked by U.S. forces near the Gulf of Oman, but its current status remains unknown. The U.S. claims to have taken control of the vessel, while Iran says it engaged in combat with U.S. forces and has rescued the ship. It remains unclear who is telling the truth.
Meanwhile, Iran is accelerating legislation related to the strait. Reports indicate that the new law will prohibit any vessels linked to Israel from passing through the strait, while ships from other unfriendly nations must obtain Iranian permission to transit.
For countries that previously aided in harming Iran’s interests, their vessels may only pass through after paying compensation.
Currently, the Revolutionary Guard has established a new maritime route through the strait called the “Larak Corridor,” but vessels must submit applications in advance and receive approval before passage.
On the other side, the United States is also not idle. According to U.S. media reports, the U.S. military is using robots to clear naval mines, although this information has not yet been confirmed by Iran.
As tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran, it is the stranded vessels on both sides that are suffering most—forced to shuttle back and forth daily, bearing hardships without remedy.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862967550904320/
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