The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) announced Wednesday that several commercial vessels in the Northern Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman halted operations after exposure to fire during military activity. UKMTO could not confirm casualties or environmental damage resulting from
the incident. This development follows a slowdown in navigation through the Strait of Hormuz this week, after Iranian statements vowing retaliation for any new American attacks. Iran had previously threatened to target energy infrastructure across the region, including U.S. oil and
gas interests. Data released by 'Kepler' on Tuesday revealed a decrease in cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to seven vessels on Monday, down from eight the day prior. Concurrently, expectations for Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude oil
prices for December 2026 and 2027 also rose amidst forecasts of continued shipping disruptions in the Middle East until next year. Conversely, traffic increased through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, another key waterway for cargo ships. 'Kepler' data showed that a total
of 29 goods-carrying vessels transited Bab al-Mandab on Monday, an increase from 17 vessels the day before. Some vessels may pass through these straits with their transponders switched off, thus being excluded from the reported statistics.
