Oil spill reaches Omani beaches as Strait of Hormuz traffic stays far below pre-war levels

Oman's Environment Authority said an oil spill from the sanctioned tanker Caroline Bezengi, which was carrying about 800,000 barrels of Russian crude, has reached the Ras Madrakah coastline and is expected to spread to the southern beaches of Masirah Island. The agency reported that up to 40 kilometres of coast are affected and that specialized teams are monitoring the situation to limit environmental damage, particularly to the island's sea-turtle nesting sites.

In the nearby Strait of Hormuz, vessel traffic remains markedly reduced. Maritime intelligence firm Kpler recorded only 14 ships crossing on Tuesday, a slight increase from the weekend but far below the roughly 120 vessels that typically passed each day before the conflict. Most of the ships used an Iranian-approved route, and none followed the traditional central channel.

The International Energy Agency warned that the prolonged closure of the strait is becoming increasingly urgent as global oil reserves are drawn down rapidly, and that oil and gas prices are likely to stay elevated until normal shipping resumes. The United States Energy Information Administration notes that the strait handles about one-fifth of daily global oil production and a similar share of liquefied natural gas trade, with few alternative routes available.

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his claim that the United States has “total control” of the waterway, despite the limited traffic and continued use of Iranian-approved routes by commercial vessels.

Separately, Israeli forces demolished a school building in southern Lebanon, an action the Israeli Defense Forces said was aimed at Hezbollah militants. The mayor of the affected town described the incident as the “biggest blow” in a series of recent bombings.

The combined developments underscore heightened geopolitical tensions affecting both maritime security and regional environmental risks.