Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is open. Shipping traffic is nowhere near what it was before the war.
Six months into the war with Iran, only a dozen to a couple dozen ships transit the Strait of Hormuz daily, down from approximately 130 before the conflict. President Trump claims the waterway is under U.S. control and that the Navy cleared the last Iranian mines, but maritime tracking data shows traffic has not recovered. The disruption has raised oil prices and altered global trade, with some countries rerouting shipments entirely.
Why it matters: This illustrates the theme of energy security and the economic consequences of geopolitical conflict in a critical chokepoint.