Strait of Hormuz commercial traffic plummets by 95 percent
Economic data released on April 3, 2026, confirms that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to an average of six ships per day, compared to 129 before the war. The functional closure is due to widespread Iranian naval mining and persistent threats from IRGC coastal defense missiles. This blockade of the world's most critical energy chokepoint has caused global energy prices to soar and triggered acute fuel shortages in Southeast Asia and Europe.