U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Talks Fail as Strait of Hormuz Traffic Remains at ~17% of Pre-War Levels Amid Mutual Attacks

U.S. and Iran have failed. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has increased in recent weeks even as the waterway remains contested. U.S. forces counted nearly 1,000 commercial vessels transiting the strait in the last two months, sources told Bloomberg.

That figure equals about 17 ships per day. Before the war, more than 100 ships passed daily. The Joint Maritime Information Center recorded 558 cargo ships and oil tankers crossing between March 1 and June 3, 2026.

Kpler counted 895 ships from March 1 to May 19, 2026. The higher Bloomberg total likely includes vessels that turned off their Automatic Identification Systems and ships using both the IRGC lane and the alternate route near Oman’s coast. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps established its own lane soon after the war began on February 28, 2026.

The IRGC has charged tolls on ships granted permission and attacked vessels that crossed without authorization. U.S. Navy began mine-clearing operations in April 2026 and sent two destroyers through the strait to re-establish freedom of navigation near Oman’s coast.

U.S. assistance, ended after only a few days. U.S. Central Command guided about 70 ships in and out of the Persian Gulf, sources told the New York Times.

Central Command stated it is not escorting ships but offering advice to commercial vessels. U.S. military uses radar, drones and other tools to monitor traffic and advises ships on when to turn off AIS and how to respond to Iranian threats, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Last month, the IRGC launched attacks into the Gulf and attempted to lay new underwater mines. U.S. responded by destroying Iranian boats and bombing missile sites in Iran.