Western military assessments report threat persists in Strait of Hormuz

BASRA, Iraq — Western military assessments cited by Bloomberg describe the threat level in the Strait of Hormuz as substantial, with mines reported to have spread toward the middle of the critical waterway. The same assessment noted that six oil and gas tankers were seen off the Omani coast and that, as of Sunday, there were early signs of recovery in vessel traffic through the strait. Despite a memorandum of understanding signed between Iran and the United States, the report said reopening the strait remains complex. During Friday and Saturday, at least eight ships that had attempted to leave the Gulf reversed course as they proceeded along the Omani coast. On Saturday, Iran responded to statements by France and the United Kingdom on freedom of navigation in Hormuz by declaring that the strait "is not a military theater for foreign powers." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron raised the prospect on Friday of preparing a multinational military mission for the strait in a joint statement. Iran is said to be discussing new navigation arrangements with Oman, which has stressed that any such framework must remain within international law and not become a mandatory transit fee. Connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz remains a strategic corridor through which a significant share of global oil and gas exports reach Asian markets, particularly China.