Shafaq News- Manila
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday kept the door open for negotiations with Iran to end the military escalation, but questioned Tehran’s commitment to serious talks, warning that Washington would take any step to protect its interests.
Speaking during a meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Rubio noted that Iran could not be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that such a move would set a dangerous precedent for the world, including Southeast Asian countries, many of which have territorial disputes in the South China Sea with China.
Earlier today, US Central Command (CENTCOM) disclosed the completion of its eleventh consecutive night of attacks on Iran, stating that the operation was designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping through the strategic maritime corridor.
The Command also outlined that Iran had struck more than 30 commercial vessels passing through the vital waterway over the past three months, warning that the attacks had endangered hundreds of civilian sailors and affected freedom of navigation.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) July 22, 2026
Despite the heightened tensions, CENTCOM maintained that the key oil route remained open to commercial traffic, noting that US forces had helped facilitate the passage of nearly 900 commercial vessels carrying about 450 million barrels of crude oil since early May.
Shipping intelligence firm Kpler, however, found that traffic through the Gulf passage had declined as commercial vessels continued to avoid the major energy route. Only three vessels crossed the maritime gateway on Tuesday, down from four a day earlier.
The general cargo vessel Kaiser exited the waterway carrying goods, while the dry bulk carrier H7S.MP8 entered the area without cargo, indicating that it was heading into the Gulf to load a shipment. Another vessel, Hsin Ocean, also passed through the route carrying refined palm oil.
No very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers were recorded crossing the shipping lane.
In the Red Sea, two tankers carrying Saudi crude bound for Asian markets changed course while approaching the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The vessels altered their routes after threats from Yemen’s Houthi (Ansarallah) movement, which has vowed to ban maritime navigation involving Saudi Arabia.