Strait of Hormuz traffic remains low as world rapidly burns through oil stockpiles

Key Points:

• Oman is dealing with an oil spill from the sanctioned tanker Caroline Bezengi, which ran aground carrying 800,000 barrels of Russian crude; the spill has affected a 40-kilometer coastal strip near Ras Madrakah and threatens the ecologically sensitive Masirah Island.
• Israeli forces demolished the Sheikh Naim Mahdi School in southern Lebanon amid ongoing strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, escalating tensions despite a ceasefire, with local officials describing the situation as dire and anxiety-inducing for residents.
• The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical and contested chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments, with traffic severely reduced due to conflict-related closures; US President Trump claims US control over the strait, but maritime activity suggests otherwise, raising concerns over rising energy prices.
• A specific threat against President Trump by a shoulder-fired missile at the NATO summit in Turkey prompted US officials to secretly switch his plane for safety reasons, highlighting ongoing security risks amid heightened US-Iran tensions.
• Three Pakistani nationals were killed in a Houthi militia attack on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, marking the first fatalities since the Houthis declared a blockade; Pakistan condemned the attack and reaffirmed its commitment to a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Turkey amid regional instability.