Eight Ships Traversed Strait of Hormuz on Thursday as Iranian Cruise Missile Attacks Kill 17 Sailors
Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped sharply to eight vessels on Thursday from an average of 30 per day last week, as Iranian attacks using cruise missiles have killed at least 17 sailors since the start of the war, including three in the past week.
Strait of Hormuz Traffic Plummets Amid Iranian Attacks
According to the International Maritime Organization, at least 17 sailors have been killed since the beginning of the war, with three killed and over a dozen wounded in the last week alone. [1] Ship-tracking firm Kpler revealed that only eight ships passed through the strait on Thursday, of which half were Iranian. [1] Last week, in contrast, the strait saw an average of 30 ships pass through it per day. [1] The heightened danger for sailors in the Strait of Hormuz led to a sharp decrease in the number of ships in the area, as well as the amount of sailors willing to risk their lives in the region. [1] The Indian Directorate General of Maritime Administration advised on Wednesday that Indian sailors not be deployed on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, after several Indian fatalities. [1]
US Strikes Prompt Iranian Tactical Changes
Some of the increased lethality of the attacks, the WSJ reported, was due to Iran recently switching from targeting ships with short-range projectiles, which often only damaged the ships, to cruise missiles. [1] The recent US attacks on IRGC coastal targets has made it more difficult to launch drones, Chris Long, head of intelligence at maritime security firm Neptune P2P, told the WSJ. [1] Cruise missiles can be launched from further inland. [1] The cruise missiles, however, are less disposable and more expensive than most of Iran's weaponry, security officials stated, relying on chemicals imported from China. [1]
Iran Spreads Conflict to Kurdistan Region
Iran has spread the conflict in the Middle East to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq over the last several days. [2] The current crisis began with Iran attacking ships in the Gulf on July 6-7. [2] The US then retaliated with eight days of bombing. [2] Iran has now been attacking countries all over the region, including killing two Americans in Jordan in a missile attack. [2] Iran is also striking at the Kurdistan Region. [2] Iran has done this before. [2] It has sought to expand the war to Iraq. [2] The most recent targets have included Iranian opposition groups PAK and Komala. [2] Nine members of the Kurdish Iranian opposition group Komala were killed in an Iranian attack. [2] Iran’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region come as the Iraqi prime minister has wrapped up his visit to the US. [2] Household gas prices across the Kurdistan Region have doubled following the suspension of production at the Khor Mor gas field in Sulaimani province due to security threats linked to ongoing US-Iran tensions and recent drone attacks targeting the Region. [2] The price of LPG at fuel stations has reached 800 dinars (around $0.61) per liter. [2] Iran’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region have now increased in Erbil and Sulaimaniyeh. [2] Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani has condemned the attacks. [2] He calls them a grave and unacceptable violation. [2] He said last night our nation faced a grave and unacceptable violation of our security and sovereignty. [2] A ballistic missile strike, launched from Iran, targeted our homeland and our heroic security forces. [2] The PUK is the second largest Kurdish political party in Iraq. [2] KDP, headquartered in Erbil, is the largest. [2] Rudaw added that Syria’s foreign ministry on Saturday condemned renewed Iranian drone and missile attacks targeting Kurdistan Region and several Arab countries in the region, saying the attacks violated states’ sovereignty and international law, with Kurdish political parties in northeast Syria (Rojava) also voicing their opposition to the strikes. [2] In addition to Khor Mor Gas field going offline, the US energy company HKN Energy has shut down all operations in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq due to escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, a company executive told Rudaw on Saturday, despite the firm's recent agreement with the Iraqi government to develop a northern oil field. [2]
Lebanese President Holds Talks in Washington
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun arrived in Washington on Saturday for an official visit that will include talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and other senior American officials on bilateral relations, regional security and efforts to support stability in Lebanon. [3] The Lebanese presidency said Aoun is visiting the United States at Trump’s invitation. [3] During his stay, he is also scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials to discuss cooperation between Beirut and Washington, as well as recent developments across the Middle East. [3] According to the Lebanese presidency, the discussions will focus on strengthening bilateral ties, enhancing economic and security cooperation, and addressing regional issues affecting Lebanon. [3] A key part of the agenda is expected to include diplomatic efforts to preserve stability along the Lebanon-Israel border following months of heightened tensions. [3] The visit comes as Lebanon continues to face a prolonged political and economic crisis while seeking greater international support for institutional reforms and economic recovery. [3] U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized their backing for Lebanon’s armed forces and state institutions, describing them as essential to maintaining the country’s sovereignty and long-term stability. [3] Washington has also supported diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing renewed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah after months of cross-border hostilities. [3] The United States has played a central role in mediation efforts designed to reinforce ceasefire arrangements and reduce the risk of wider regional escalation. [3] One of the most sensitive issues expected to feature in the discussions is the future of Hezbollah’s armed wing. [3] The United States and Israel have consistently called for all weapons in Lebanon to be placed under the authority of the Lebanese state, arguing that the government should exercise exclusive control over the use of force. [3] Hezbollah, however, has repeatedly rejected calls to disarm, maintaining that its military capabilities are necessary to confront Israeli threats. [3] The meetings also take place against the backdrop of continuing instability across the Middle East, where tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States have raised concerns about the risk of a broader regional conflict. [3] Lebanon remains particularly vulnerable to any escalation because of Hezbollah’s close ties with Iran and its longstanding confrontation with Israel. [3]
Regional Fallout and Diplomatic Responses
Kurdish business leaders on Friday announced new partnerships with major American companies during the US-Iraq High-Level Business Summit in Washington, highlighting growing private-sector ties as Baghdad and Washington shift their relationship toward long-term economic cooperation during the high-level visit by the Iraqi government delegation. [2] The attacks continue, harming the Kurdistan Region in numerous ways. [2]
What to watch next: The Iraqi prime minister wrapped up a visit to the US that included new Kurdish business partnerships with American companies, even as Iranian attacks continue in Erbil and Sulaimaniyeh. [2]
