Live tracking footage from MarineTraffic shows vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz before the Iran war began, and what the Strait looked like both after the ceasefire announcement and following the US-enforced maritime blockade. The US military has warned vessels that they will be subject to “interception, diversion and capture” regardless of flag, as they blockaded the waterway on Monday (13 April). Iran responded by threatening ports belonging to American allies in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. A Chinese-owned tanker sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday (14 April), in an apparent defiance of the blockade. Shipping data showed the Rich Starry passed through the waterway and exited the Gulf, becoming the first vessel to make it through the chokepoint since the blockade began on Monday afternoon. The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, were sanctioned by the US for dealing with Iran, according to Reuters.
  • SpontaneousCombustion@lemmy.worldEnglish
    10·
    2 days ago

    The Strait isn’t blocked in the true sense of the term.

    The US navy is sitting way off shore to avoid being attacked. And it’s there that ships will be stopped or boarded.

    But let’s see what happens all those Chinese vessels that left Iranian ports. I think the Felon-in-Chief will not stop those. It’ll be TACO all over again.