A tanker conducting an inbound transit through the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile on Sept. 21, injuring two crew members. The vessel continued to its next port under its own power with no reported environmental impact, as reported by the UK Maritime Trade Operations. Oil tanker charter rates have reached their highest inflation adjusted level in more than 20 years, with freight costs more than tripling since last year due to required diversions in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced the waterway will not reopen until the US accepts seven conditions, including the release of frozen assets and an end to the naval blockade. Trackable vessel traffic dropped to 12 ships over the weekend from 35 the previous week, and Iran denied US military claims that 1 billion barrels of oil passed through the area recently. Pakistan recently negotiated safe passage for an LNG shipment to mitigate its national energy shortfall.