Only 14 vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to shipping data firm Kpler, despite President Trump declaring the waterway "open"—a figure that remains far below the roughly 120 vessels per day recorded before the war.
Eleven of the 14 ships used the Iranian-approved route, a sign of Tehran's continued hold over the chokepoint. None used the traditional central passage, which international maritime law designates for free navigation. Iran is effectively dictating terms in a waterway that carries a fifth of the world's oil.
Kpler said the modest traffic increase does not signal normalization and that pressure on global oil supplies remains significant. That assessment directly counters the Trump administration's claim that it has reopened the strait and eased regional tensions.
Washington faces continued pressure to secure unimpeded passage through the strait. The Trump administration has sought to enforce freedom of navigation and curb Iranian influence, but the current numbers suggest limited progress. Future U.S. policy will likely focus on enforcing international navigation protocols and reducing Iran's leverage—with the credibility of U.S. foreign policy at stake.
