- The IMO said it has verified at least 70 attacks on international shipping in the Persian Gulf since the war began on Feb. 28, and that 19 seafarers have been killed, with at least 6,000 unable to leave.
- Trump's war has stretched on far longer than he told Americans it would, and he shared a social media post declaring 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2026' with an AI-generated image featuring Trump against a backdrop of U.S. fighter jets, a warship, and American flags above smaller images of Bush and former Iranian Supreme Leader.
- Navy Admiral Bradley Cooper, the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East, said Thursday night that through the Strait of Hormuz have been cleared of mines, and 'Today, international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building,' but Gulf states have not commented and the claim could not be independently verified.
- As the conflict grinds on, Trump's talk of finding a quick end to the war appears to be fading; he stressed this week that he’s to get Iran to negotiate, and he continues making the case that 'They're not paying their troops. They're in deep trouble. They have very little capacity,' and 'We don’t want to speak to them. We’re not looking to meet or anything.'
- Shipping has been disrupted and the Strait of Hormuz has been affected since the Iran war started on Feb. 28; before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, about 15 million barrels transited the strait daily.
- IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said, 'Thousands of seafarers in the region continue to live and work under conditions of heightened risk and uncertainty,' and urged practical solutions and cooperation to restore freedom of navigation.
- Even without mines, however, ships face risks as they pass through the narrow waterway; the U.S. government claimed up to 9 million barrels a day are flowing through the strait over short time periods, but ING bank cautioned that the figure 'seems aggressive.'
- It’s unclear how or if Trump will address the six-month anniversary of a conflict that has already cost the United States and ahead of critical November elections for his party.
As the Iran war reaches its six-month mark, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has verified at least 70 attacks on international shipping, resulting in the deaths of 19 seafarers.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez highlighted the ongoing risks faced by thousands of seafarers in the region, stating, “Thousands of seafarers in the region continue to live and work under conditions of heightened risk and uncertainty.”
Shipping disruptions have been significant since the conflict began on February 28, with the strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf previously seeing the transit of about 15 million barrels of oil daily.
Despite claims from the U.S. government that up to 9 million barrels a day are flowing through the strait, analysts caution that this figure seems aggressive.
Trump's administration continues to apply economic pressure on Iran, asserting that the country is in deep trouble. He stated, “They’re not paying their troops. They’re in deep trouble. They have very little capacity.”
Meanwhile, Navy Admiral Bradley Cooper, the top U.S. military commander for the Middle East, claimed that international shipping lanes are open, stating, “Today, international shipping lanes are open and momentum is building.”
However, Gulf states have not commented on this assertion, and the situation remains complex as the conflict continues to evolve ahead of critical elections for Trump’s party in November.
“The IMO says at least 6,000 seafarers remain unable to leave the region, and Admiral Bradley Cooper claims shipping lanes are open, but Gulf states have not commented. Trump's 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2026' post contrasts with his fading talk of a quick end.”
