Hormuz shipping traffic severely depressed amid US-Iran strikes

The US-Iran conflict has entered another dangerous phase, with US forces striking Iranian air-defence and radar systems and maritime capabilities while Tehran retaliates against US military positions and allies across the Gulf. For UAE residents, the immediate impact is being felt in air travel, shipping, fuel prices and the wider regional security environment. Here is what UAE residents need to know today so far: US-Iran fighting has flared again The latest US strikes targeted Iranian air defences, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites, according to the US military. The attacks followed a US strike Sunday on Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said Iranian forces were preparing to use rockets to deploy sea mines that could threaten international shipping. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at US positions in Jordan. Iran subsequently launched missile and drone attacks against US-linked targets and bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq, while Gulf states activated air defences. Kuwait reported further missile and drone attacks early Thursday, saying its air defences intercepted the incoming threats. Bahrain also said Iranian drones had been intercepted. The escalation has raised fresh concerns about the safety of commercial aviation and shipping throughout the Gulf. Hormuz remains the biggest economic risk The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the confrontation. The US says it is escorting and guiding commercial vessels through the Strait while maintaining a blockade against Iranian ports. But traffic remains severely depressed. Reuters reported that only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait on Wednesday, compared with a 10-day average of about 13, according to preliminary Kpler data.