Some ships refusing US-military guided transits through Hormuz after attacks

LONDON/ATHENS — Shipping companies are increasingly avoiding a U.S. military-guided transit route through the Strait of Hormuz after a series of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels raised concerns over maritime safety, according to maritime security and shipping industry sources.

For decades, ships traveling to and from the Gulf used a designated shipping lane established by the United Nations in 1968. However, since the Iran war began on February 28, Iranian forces have mined the area, forcing vessels to use temporary routes closer to the Iranian or Omani coast.

The United States launched a military-assisted transit initiative last month to help protect commercial vessels passing through the strategic waterway. The operation used aerial and maritime drones, along with helicopters, to guide ships safely through the strait and support the continued flow of Gulf energy exports.

The initiative enabled the export of tens of millions of barrels of oil, helping reduce the impact of supply disruptions on global energy markets.

However, shipping companies are now reconsidering the route after a recent surge in attacks on commercial vessels.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on two Emirati oil supertankers earlier this week. Since July 7, at least five ships—including three crude oil supertankers, one liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker, and one container ship—have been attacked in Omani waters, according to data analyzed from the United Nations' shipping agency.

It remains unclear whether all of the affected vessels were participating in the U.S.-coordinated transit program.

One shipping industry source said their company had decided to avoid the Strait of Hormuz due to worsening security conditions and concerns for crew safety.

Middle East analyst Torbjorn Solvedt of Verisk Maplecroft said Iran's ability to continue targeting ships near the Omani route raises questions about the effectiveness of the U.S.-backed effort to keep commercial traffic moving.

The White House maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open despite the recent attacks. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales accused Iran of carrying out attacks on peaceful commercial vessels and said the United States would continue responding to the threat.

A U.S. defense official said more than 100 vessels coordinated directly with the U.S. military to transit the strait over the past week, while more than 300 vessels passed through the broader region, suggesting the security operation continues despite lower shipping volumes compared with pre-war levels.

Tensions escalated further after the United States reimposed a naval blockade targeting Iranian-linked shipping. Iran warned it could expand disruptions to regional energy exports and signaled it might use Houthi forces in Yemen to threaten traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another critical global shipping route connecting the Red Sea.

According to another shipping source, around nine Greek-operated LNG tankers that entered the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz to load cargo have remained stranded because of security concerns.

Two additional tankers have also been attacked in open waters outside the Strait of Hormuz since July 7.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all ship traffic except Iranian vessels. The United States also reinstated its blockade of Iran-linked shipping this week.

The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center recently raised its risk assessment for vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz from "substantial" to "severe," one level below its highest warning of "critical," following attacks on multiple tankers.

Shipping companies have also expressed concern over limited real-time security information provided during the U.S.-coordinated transit operations. Maritime security sources said operators remain uncertain about the risks despite official statements that the waterway remains open.

Greek maritime security firms Diaplous and MARISKS separately advised shipping companies this week to delay voyages through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that current conditions do not provide an acceptable level of safety for commercial transit. -Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Renee Maltezou and Maha El Dahan, additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Idrees Ali, editing by Simon Webb. Jason Neely and Chizu Nomiyama/Reuters