Live: Hormuz shipping traffic drops amid Iran-Oman discussions while oil prices climb

Latest tracking details reveal that maritime transits across the Strait of Hormuz dropped to 33 vessels between Monday (August 3, 2026) and Thursday (August 6, 2026), down from 50 ships recorded during the previous weekly cycle, while financial markets closely observe discussions between Muscat and Tehran aimed at unblocking the passage. On Thursday (August 6, 2026), merely four ships navigated through the passage, which featured a supertanker named Nissos Kea transporting close to 2 million barrels of Iraqi Basrah crude oil, according to analytics firm Kpler. Among the remaining three vessels, two were transporting liquid petroleum gas cargoes and the third was classified as a smaller bulk freighter.

Missile and drone bombardments by Tehran-aligned Houthi forces claimed the lives of no fewer than 58 government soldiers on Thursday (August 6, 2026), per military insider information, marking one of the highest daily death tolls in Yemen's internal conflict over the last four years. This escalation coincides with Yemen being dragged deeper into the broader fight pitting Washington and Israel against Tehran, as Houthi fighters intensify offensives against state troops and neighboring Saudi Arabia — a crucial American partner that backs Yemen's official authority. Spokesperson for the Houthi military Yahya Saree stated that their forces launched ballistic missiles and unmanned aircraft targeting military bases to counter what they claimed was a troop mobilization supported by Riyadh.

Military officials in Saudi Arabia reported that over ten non-combatants, among them a four-year-old toddler, sustained injuries on Thursday following multiple strikes launched by Yemeni Houthi insurgents. Occurring in the southern border territory of Najran, these strikes followed just hours after the Tehran-supported group stated it had conducted separate offensives in eastern and central regions of Yemen, leaving at least 30 soldiers dead and over 50 wounded. The cross-border violence near the Yemeni frontier left 11 civilians injured, including a young child, as hostilities across the area continue to intensify.

Crude values surged further on Friday (August 7, 2026) driven by ongoing anxiety regarding the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, after Tehran and Muscat floated a proposal to prohibit unfriendly ships from passing and levy steep penalties on violators. Futures for Brent crude gained 99 cents or 1.2% reaching $83.48 per barrel at 0010 GMT, while American West Texas Intermediate crude increased 85 cents or 1.1% to hit $78.84. Oil benchmarks closed higher by more than $3 per barrel on Thursday (August 6, 2026) as Iranian lawmakers considered legislation to bar American and Israeli ships from navigating the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of global petroleum and LNG passed prior to the outbreak of hostilities in late February.