Dubai: Cargo ship passage through the Strait of Hormuz has reached its lowest level in three months, with only two vessels recorded on Monday. This decline marks the lowest daily figure since early May, as both ships navigated into the Persian Gulf.

According to Thai News Agency, the data from Kepler, a shipping tracking company, reveals a significant drop compared to the 10-day average of 14 vessels. The two ships recorded were an ultra-large gas tanker and an ultra-large crude oil tanker coming from the Gulf of Oman. Despite the reduction from seven vessels on Sunday, the actual number might be higher due to some ships turning off their navigation signals while traversing the route.

Iran has intensified tensions in the crucial shipping lane by blacklisting 45 oil tankers for violating passage regulations and threatening action against ships involved in vessel-to-vessel goods transfer. This follows six months of conflict between Iran and the strait, which previously served as a major conduit for roughly one-fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Additionally, Iran declared its readiness to retaliate against expanded US sanctions which aim to cut off its economic lifeline. Iran expressed confidence that its major trading partners would resist Washington's pressure. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent announced the sanctions measures, excluding the harshest penalties, and cautioned that nations continuing trade with Iran risk losing access to the US dollar system.

In contrast, Kepler's data shows that 29 cargo ships passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another key maritime corridor on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula. This figure aligns with the 10-day average and is similar to Sunday's passage of 28 ships.