Ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz amid US-Iran tensions as secret oil flows continue

The Strait of Hormuz remains highly volatile following new projectile attacks on commercial vessels that killed at least one sailor. While official shipping traffic has plummeted from 130 to just 12 vessels per day, Middle Eastern producers are secretly shipping over 4 million barrels of oil daily using 'dark' tankers. This covert flow has kept Brent crude prices stable between $80 and $90 a barrel. Meanwhile, President Trump has ruled out extending the ceasefire, denied active talks with Iran, and declared the strait a U.S. territory.

Strait of Hormuz ship attacks

• ▪The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that an attack on a vessel off the coast of Oman near Khasab caused damage to its engine room and a crew casualty.
• ▪Since the conflict between the United States and Iran began in February 2026, 17 sailors have been killed in 65 attacks around the Strait of Hormuz.
• ▪The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking three vessels operated by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in the Strait of Hormuz between August 13 and August 14, 2026.
• ▪Two ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz were attacked by unknown projectiles in mid-August 2026, resulting in at least one sailor being killed.

US-Iran diplomatic contradictions

• ▪President Donald Trump asserted on Truth Social that the Strait of Hormuz is open, operating, and cleared of all water mines, though U.S. Central Command did not confirm the claim.
• ▪President Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz a "New U.S. Territory" on Truth Social and asserted that the United States controls the waterway via its naval blockade.
• ▪President Donald Trump stated on August 18, 2026, that the United States is not in any talks with Iran, contradicting his prior assertions that active negotiations were underway.

Secret oil shipments through Hormuz

• ▪Middle Eastern oil producers in the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and Kuwait are secretly shipping crude through the Strait of Hormuz with their transponders turned off.
• ▪Covert oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are estimated by sources to exceed 4 million barrels per day, running higher than standard market estimates.
• ▪U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that 9 million barrels of oil per day crossed the Strait of Hormuz during a seven-day period in August 2026.

Oil price stability factors

• ▪Covert oil shipments, alternative pipeline routes, and national reserves have kept Brent oil futures trading between $80 and $90 a barrel, preventing a projected spike to $150.
• ▪Brent crude futures rose to around $91 a barrel by August 18, 2026, up from $72 before the start of the U.S.-Iran war.

Shipping traffic decline

• ▪Vessel transits through the Strait of Hormuz fell to five on Saturday, August 15, 2026, and zero on Sunday, August 16, down from 31 the previous weekend.
• ▪Average traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dwindled to about 12 ships per day, down from more than 130 ships per day before the war began.

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