Ship Struck in Strait of Hormuz as Trump Renews Oman Threat
A merchant vessel was hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, with one crew member reported hurt, according to maritime authorities, in the first reported strike on shipping since the US-Iran deadline expired. President Trump renewed his threat against Oman over the arrangement it is brokering with Tehran, while Iran said the strait would stay shut until Washington met its demands. Oil held near $91 a barrel.
The strike, whose perpetrator is unknown, brings the confrontation back from rhetoric to the water, and the market’s reaction — oil grinding higher rather than leaping — suggests traders are braced but not yet pricing all-out conflict. The disruption is already spreading: US diesel refining margins have topped $100 a barrel for the first time, China’s state shippers are rerouting tankers away from the Gulf, and crossings through the strait have fallen to single digits. Mr Trump’s repeated threats against Oman, the region’s indispensable mediator, keep closing off the diplomatic exits even as his son-in-law reports Iran shows no interest in a deal. Watch whether the strike is attributed and whether shipping seizes up entirely.