The United States has warned that it will impose tougher economic pressure on Iran following attacks on two more commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Abu Dhabi national oil company (ADNOC) of the United Arab Emirates said that two of its vessels came under attack while passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday evening. No casualties have been reported. The United Arab Emirates has blamed Iran for the attacks, but Tehran has yet to issue an immediate response.
U.S. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth said that U.S. naval forces have the capability to maintain their maritime blockade against Iran in the region indefinitely. He said American vessels would be repositioned and rotated as necessary to maintain a sustained presence in the area.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington plans to announce new and tougher financial measures against Iran next week. He warned that the United States would impose economic pressure on Iran that, in his words, would be unprecedented in the history of a country’s economic isolation.
At the same time, commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has declined sharply. Ship-tracking data from Kpler shows that only nine vessels passed through the strait on Thursday, compared with more than 130 vessels a day before the war began.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, and prolonged disruption to shipping through the strait has heightened concerns over global markets, oil prices, and energy supplies. Oil prices are also on track for a weekly increase following the latest U.S. warning.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
