Sailors reject US safe-passage offer in Strait of Hormuz

Seafarers operating in the Strait of Hormuz responded angrily to a U.S. radio message that directed ships toward the Omani portion of the waterway, which the U.S. said was under its protection after a blockade on Iranian ports began on Tuesday. A sailor was heard on marine radio saying "F-k off" after the U.S. military announced that the southern route of the strait remained open and that it was prepared to safeguard lawful commerce in line with international law.

Maritime data firm Kpler reported that on the first day of the blockade, none of the 21 ships that crossed the strait used the U.S.-backed Omani route; 17 followed a channel approved by Iran, one used an International Maritime Organization-approved route, and three employed “shadow fleet” tactics to avoid detection. The following day, 13 vessels transited the strait, with only the Comoros-flagged bulk carrier Hero SD taking the Omani corridor, while ten ships, half of them sanctioned for ties to Iran’s oil exports, used the Tehran-approved path.

U.S. officials have claimed that Iran attacked seven commercial vessels in the past week, resulting in crew casualties. They also note that during a previous escalation, more than 70 ships crossed under U.S. protection, a fraction of the typical daily traffic of over 130 vessels before the conflict.

"The dilemma is quite simple: at the end of the day, if he wants to take control over the straits, he will need to take over the straits," said Danny Citrinowicz, former head of the Iran division of Israeli defense intelligence, adding that President Trump lacks sufficient force to achieve his military or strategic goals.

Brent crude prices stayed above $84 a barrel, roughly 22% higher than a year earlier, and U.S. gasoline averaged $3.94 per gallon, up about 10 cents from the previous week.