Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to just seven vessels on Wednesday, falling from 12 vessels the previous day and remaining well below the 10-day average of 14, according to preliminary ship tracking data. Out of the seven vessels, four exited and three entered the waterway, with some vessels potentially sailing without their transponders active and therefore not included in official counts. The most significant departure was the Finland Prosperity, a very large crude carrier carrying nearly 2 million barrels of crude oil. The remaining exits included two dry bulk carriers and a short-range dirty products tanker, while three ships entered consisting of a dry bulk carrier and two tankers. This represents a significant decline from the 10-day average of 14 vessels, indicating the ongoing military tensions are severely impacting commercial shipping operations in one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes.
Oil markets reacted sharply as Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched fresh attacks on U.S. military installations, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. According to The Economic Times, Iran attacked two U.S. destroyers and what they described as a U.S. base in Jordan's Al Azraq using ballistic missiles, carried out in direct retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian oil tankers. Jordan's air-defence systems intercepted 18 of the 20 ballistic missiles launched from Iranian territory, while the other two fell in unpopulated areas with no casualties reported. U.S. Central Command confirmed its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers on September 8 following attempted missile attacks on a U.S. Navy warship over the previous two days. The latest strikes mark a further escalation as one of the vessels, the Derya, was struck near Kharg Island, Iran's major oil export hub. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that Washington would continue targeting Iranian oil tankers, stating "Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers."
Crude oil prices rose to a six-week high on Tuesday as Iran vowed to strike energy infrastructure across the Middle East in response to further US attacks on its assets. Brent crude climbed to around $99 a barrel, its highest level in weeks, while West Texas Intermediate traded near $95, both benchmarks reversing much of the decline seen after a ceasefire had raised hopes of a durable resolution. The latest move came after US Central Command said American forces destroyed five Iranian crude carriers following two ballistic-missile attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on a US Navy warship. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Monday, "Strike our assets and you get struck," in response to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's warning that Tehran's oil fleet was "defenceless." Oil has already risen sharply this year, with Brent up more than 60%, while refined products such as diesel have posted even stronger gains as the conflict affects both crude and product markets.
Despite international crude prices climbing to six-week highs, state-run oil marketing companies maintained unchanged fuel prices across Indian cities on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. As reported by NDTV Profit, petrol prices ranged from ₹102.12 per litre in Delhi to ₹115.69 per litre in Hyderabad, while diesel prices varied from ₹95.20 per litre in Delhi to ₹103.82 per litre in Hyderabad. The pricing structure shows Kolkata commanding the highest petrol rates at ₹113.51 per litre, followed by Mumbai at ₹111.21 per litre and Bengaluru at ₹110.89 per litre.
The war has taken a heavy toll on global oil supply, forcing nations to burn through stockpiles to avoid deficits. At the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, vessel traffic remained relatively stable with 28 commodity ships transiting on Wednesday, similar to the 10-day average of 27, according to ship tracking data. Of the total 28 ships, 16 entered and 12 exited the strait, providing some alternative shipping capacity for Middle Eastern oil flows. Marisks maritime intelligence firm noted that "commercial tankers are now being deliberately used as instruments of reciprocal economic pressure, substantially weakening the previous distinction between military confrontation and commercial shipping." Meanwhile, Saudi Aramco facilities were hit in fresh attacks on Monday, following US military action against three Iranian oil tankers, according to the Financial Times. Gulf producers are also using alternative export routes, while higher output from the US, Canada and Guyana is providing some offset to the supply shock.
