Strait of Hormuz timeline
Today, 1 October 2026, is Day 216 of the Strait of Hormuz crisis. This timeline records each dated, sourced development since 28 February 2026, from the closure and the ceasefires to the US blockade, attacks on ships and talks to reopen the strait, followed by the history before 2026.
Strait of Hormuz traffic through the crisis
Live traffic data →Ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz each day since December 2025, against the pre-crisis average of 84.8 a day, with the key events of the crisis.
Sources: IMF PortWatch daily transit calls (satellite AIS); hormuz.now crossings of our counting line (commercial ships ≥80 m). AIS-visible traffic only. Events: this timeline.
Monthly averages since December 2025 as a table
| Month | IMF PortWatch, transits a day | hormuz.now, crossings a day |
|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | 55.5 | n/a |
| January 2026 | 58.5 | n/a |
| February 2026 | 78.3 | n/a |
| March 2026 | 3.2 | n/a |
| April 2026 | 7.1 | 5.2 |
| May 2026 | 3.9 | 3.0 |
| June 2026 | 12.9 | 11.5 |
| July 2026 | 10.2 | 10.7 |
| August 2026 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| September 2026 | 3.7 | 4.7 |
The current month is partial. Our own counts start in April 2026.
AIS-visible traffic collapsed within days of 28 February: IMF PortWatch recorded 57 transits that day and none at all on 4 March. It recovered partly after the June agreement, peaking at 51 on 24 June, then fell back after the ceasefire collapsed on 8 July (IMF PortWatch, queried 29 Sep 2026). Counts that include ships sailing with AIS switched off are much higher: why the numbers differ.
Key dates: closure, ceasefires and the blockade
The Strait of Hormuz closure date is 28 February 2026: US and Israeli strikes on Iran began and Iran declared the strait closed to "hostile" shipping. The IRGC officially confirmed the closure on 2 March. These are the events marked on the chart above, oldest first.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| US and Israel begin strikes on Iran (Operation Epic Fury)Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is killed on the first day of the strikes. | |
| IRGC officially confirms the closure of the straitSome trackers count the crisis from this date, which is why their day counts run two lower than ours. | |
| Pakistan-mediated two-week ceasefire between the US and IranThe ceasefire is announced on 7 April (US time) and takes effect on 8 April. | |
| US begins a naval blockade of Iranian portsThe blockade of ships going to or from Iranian ports starts at 10:00 EDT, after the Islamabad talks end without agreement. | |
| Iran sets up the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA)The new body runs Iran's transit permit and toll system for the strait. Windward reports that it began operating in mid-May. | |
| Islamabad Memorandum signed, opening a 60-day negotiation windowThe agreement, reached on 12 June and announced on 14 June, is signed on 17 June. | |
| US lifts its blockade of Iranian portsCENTCOM ends the blockade under the Islamabad Memorandum. | |
| The interim US–Iran ceasefire collapsesThe ceasefire breaks down amid renewed attacks on merchant ships and US strikes. AIS-visible traffic falls sharply in the following days. | |
| US reimposes its naval blockade of Iranian portsPresident Trump announces the blockade's return on 13 July; it takes effect at 20:00 GMT on 14 July. | |
| US says the Navy has cleared mines from the shipping lanesUS officials say mines have been cleared from the traffic separation scheme. Underwater drones had identified more than 100 suspected mines over the preceding months. | |
| Trump rejects Iran's seven-day plan to reopen the straitPresident Trump says the proposal "would not be acceptable". |
The 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, day by day
Latest updates →50 dated events, newest first and grouped by month. Each links to its source.
September 2026
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Diplomacy
Qatar holds separate talks with Iran and the US in New York
Qatari mediators meet Iran's foreign minister in New York on 28 and 29 September and hold separate contacts with the US side. Iran says it is awaiting a US reply to its reopening proposal.
Source: IRNA via GlobalSecurity
-
Energy
Kpler puts Hormuz oil flows at 13.1 mb/d, against 17.1 mb/d pre-war
Kpler estimates that crude oil and refined products moving through the strait averaged 13.1 million barrels a day in the latest week, against 17.1 million before the war on its measure. Oil volumes have recovered far more than AIS-visible ship counts.
Source: CNN
-
Shipping
Iran's ship blacklist grows to 81 vessels
Four ships are added: three VLCCs linked to Saudi and South Korean operators, and one bulk carrier.
Source: Windward
-
Energy
QatarEnergy extends LNG force majeure into December
Cancellations for buyers in Pakistan and Bangladesh run through November, and deliveries to Italy's Edison are suspended until early December.
Source: The National
-
Shipping
JMIC keeps the regional threat level at SEVERE
Advisory Update 100 from the Joint Maritime Information Center leaves the level unchanged. It has been SEVERE since early July.
Source: JMIC via UKMTO
-
Shipping
Windward counts 24 transits in a day, 14 of them with AIS switched off
Of the 24 ships (9 inbound, 15 outbound), 11 use the southern corridor in Omani waters.
Source: Windward
-
Military
IRGC says it captured a US underwater drone; the US denies it
Iranian state media identify the vehicle as a Mk 18 Mod 2 Kingfish, based on the REMUS 600, and call it Iran's second such capture. US officials deny the claim.
Source: IRNA via GlobalSecurity
-
Diplomacy Key date
Trump rejects Iran's seven-day plan to reopen the strait
President Trump says the proposal "would not be acceptable".
Source: NPR
-
Military
CENTCOM says the blockade has redirected 122 commercial vessels
US Central Command's count of ships redirected under the blockade of Iranian ports rises from 115 two days earlier.
Source: CBS News
-
Diplomacy
Iran outlines a seven-day plan to reopen the strait
At the UN in New York, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the strait would reopen and talks would start within seven days if the US lifts its blockade, waives oil sanctions and releases frozen funds.
Source: PBS NewsHour
-
Shipping
IMO tally reaches 83 confirmed incidents and 23 seafarer deaths
The International Maritime Organization keeps a running count of confirmed incidents and seafarer deaths linked to the conflict.
Source: gCaptain
-
Military
Bulk carrier Cape Dao hit off Musandam; one seafarer killed
An Indian crew member dies when the ship is struck off Oman's Musandam Peninsula. No one has claimed the attack.
Source: gCaptain
-
Shipping
Iranian parliamentary committee backs seizing 20% of rule-breakers' cargo
Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee approves Articles 13–15 of a Strait of Hormuz bill, allowing seizure of 20% of a violating ship's cargo or its value. It is not law: it still needs a full parliamentary vote and Guardian Council approval.
Source: Iran International
-
Energy
Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline restarts at a low rate
Pumping resumes nine days after drone attacks halted the line, with Aramco aiming for 4 million barrels a day.
Source: Hydrocarbon Processing
-
Military
LR Stephanie hit by a projectile; two seafarers injured
Debris also hits the LPG carrier Al Maryah.
Source: gCaptain
-
Military
CENTCOM says the primary transit lanes are clear of mines
CENTCOM's commander also says US forces supported the transit of 1 billion barrels of oil over the past two months.
Source: Fortune
-
Military
CENTCOM says the strait "remains open for transit"
The statement is an official US claim; independent monitors still report traffic far below pre-war levels.
Source: RFE/RL via GlobalSecurity
-
Military
Iranian cruise missile hits a vessel carrying US Marines
Eight Marines suffer minor injuries and return to duty. The vessel is not a US Navy ship. NBC News discloses the attack on 28 September.
Source: gCaptain
-
Energy
Drone attacks halt Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline
Pumping on the pipeline, the main export route that bypasses Hormuz, and loadings at the Red Sea port of Yanbu stop after Iran-aligned drone attacks. Reports differ on who carried them out: RFE/RL cites groups in Iraq, CNN the Houthis.
Source: Hydrocarbon Processing
-
Military
US forces destroy five Iranian crude tankers
CENTCOM strikes the ships after the IRGC fires ballistic missiles at a US warship twice in two days. One is the Aframax RIESCO, which is under US sanctions and falsely flagged to Zimbabwe.
Source: Windward
August 2026
-
Military Key date
US says the Navy has cleared mines from the shipping lanes
US officials say mines have been cleared from the traffic separation scheme. Underwater drones had identified more than 100 suspected mines over the preceding months.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Shipping
Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority publishes a blacklist of ships
The first tranche lists ships that used the US-coordinated southern corridor or crossed without paying Iran's toll. Further tranches follow on 2 and 14 September; by 17 September the list has 77 ships, 85% of them tankers.
Source: Windward
-
Shipping
Lloyd's List counts 346 transits in August
The count covers cargo ships over 10,000 dwt that are not linked to Iran: 191 westbound and 155 eastbound. IMF PortWatch's AIS-only count for August is 146.
Source: Lloyd's List Intelligence
July 2026
-
Energy
Loading halts at Kharg Island's western terminal for 25 days
Tankers stop loading at the western terminal on Iran's Kharg Island on 18 July; loading resumes on 12 August, according to Windward and TankerTrackers data.
Source: The National
-
Shipping
War-risk insurance reaches 3–10% of a ship's hull value
Broker Marsh says war-risk premiums for Gulf transits range from 3% to 10% of hull value, against about 0.25% before the war.
Source: The National
-
Military Key date
US reimposes its naval blockade of Iranian ports
President Trump announces the blockade's return on 13 July; it takes effect at 20:00 GMT on 14 July.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Diplomacy Key date
The interim US–Iran ceasefire collapses
The ceasefire breaks down amid renewed attacks on merchant ships and US strikes. AIS-visible traffic falls sharply in the following days.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Shipping
JMIC raises the threat level back to SEVERE
The increase follows attacks on shipping in the first days of July.
Source: SAFETY4SEA
June 2026
-
Shipping
IMF PortWatch transits reach 51, the most since Day 1 of the crisis
The AIS-visible daily count peaks after the June agreement, against 57 on 28 February and a pre-war average of about 85 a day.
Source: IMF PortWatch
-
Shipping
136 vessels and about 2,900 seafarers are evacuated
The evacuation is later paused. The IMO says more than 20,000 seafarers are affected in the region.
Source: IMO
-
Shipping
JMIC allows transits of the southern route by day or night
Advisory 010-26 permits southern-route transits with AIS switched on. Coordination with the US Navy's Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) is not mandatory.
Source: JMIC via IMO
-
Shipping
JMIC issues "Strait of Hormuz Open" advisory; threat level MODERATE
Advisory 009-26 still advises avoiding the traffic separation scheme because of mines, reports a confirmed mine near 26.41°N 56.34°E and says the southern route in Omani waters has been cleared of mines.
Source: JMIC via IMO
-
Military Key date
US lifts its blockade of Iranian ports
CENTCOM ends the blockade under the Islamabad Memorandum.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Diplomacy Key date
Islamabad Memorandum signed, opening a 60-day negotiation window
The agreement, reached on 12 June and announced on 14 June, is signed on 17 June.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Shipping
JMIC lowers the threat level from CRITICAL to SEVERE
It is the first reduction since the level was raised to CRITICAL on 1 March. The P&I club Skuld reports the change in its 9 June security update.
Source: Skuld
May 2026
-
Diplomacy
US Treasury sanctions Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority
OFAC designates the PGSA, the body Iran set up to issue transit permits and collect tolls.
Source: OFAC (US Treasury)
-
Shipping Key date
Iran sets up the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA)
The new body runs Iran's transit permit and toll system for the strait. Windward reports that it began operating in mid-May.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Diplomacy
US Treasury warns that paying Iran for passage risks sanctions
OFAC issues a sanctions advisory on payments to Iran for transit through the strait.
Source: Skuld
April 2026
-
Military Key date
US begins a naval blockade of Iranian ports
The blockade of ships going to or from Iranian ports starts at 10:00 EDT, after the Islamabad talks end without agreement.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Diplomacy
Islamabad talks end without agreement
Negotiations held in Pakistan during the two-week ceasefire fail to produce a deal.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Diplomacy Key date
Pakistan-mediated two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran
The ceasefire is announced on 7 April (US time) and takes effect on 8 April.
Source: Wikipedia
March 2026
-
Energy
IEA confirms a record 426-million-barrel emergency oil stock release
Member countries' contributions include 172.2 million barrels from the US and 79.8 million from Japan. It is the agency's sixth collective action since 1974.
Source: IEA
-
Energy
IEA members agree the largest emergency oil stock release in its history
The initial agreement covers 400 million barrels.
Source: IEA
-
Energy
Brent crude tops $100 a barrel for the first time in four years
The international oil benchmark passes $100 for the first time since 2022.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Shipping
IMF PortWatch records zero AIS-visible transits
IMF PortWatch records no transits, down from 57 on 28 February, 20 on 1 March and 4 on 2 March.
Source: IMF PortWatch
-
Shipping Key date
IRGC officially confirms the closure of the strait
Some trackers count the crisis from this date, which is why their day counts run two lower than ours.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Shipping
JMIC raises the Hormuz threat level to CRITICAL
The Joint Maritime Information Center raises its threat level for the strait to CRITICAL on the day of the first attacks on merchant ships.
Source: Argus
-
Military
Attacks on merchant ships begin: Skylight, MKD Vyom and Stena Imperative hit
The three ships are hit on the first day of attacks on commercial shipping. The IMO lists seafarer casualties from these incidents.
Source: Wikipedia
February 2026
-
Shipping
Iran declares the strait closed to "hostile" shipping
The declaration follows the start of US and Israeli strikes the same day. hormuz.now counts 28 February 2026 as Day 1 of the crisis.
Source: Wikipedia
-
Military Key date
US and Israel begin strikes on Iran (Operation Epic Fury)
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is killed on the first day of the strikes.
Source: Wikipedia
Before 2026: has Iran ever closed the Strait of Hormuz?
Map and geography →Not before 2026, although it had threatened to many times. During the 1981–1988 Tanker War, Iraq carried out 283 attacks on shipping and Iran 168, and the US Navy escorted reflagged Kuwaiti tankers, but traffic kept moving (Wikipedia: Tanker war, accessed 29 Sep 2026). In June 2025, after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Iran's parliament voted to back closing the strait, but the final decision rested with the Supreme National Security Council (Anadolu Agency, 22 Jun 2025) and ships kept sailing: IMF PortWatch averaged 102 transits a day that month.
Average daily transits per month. Traffic dipped at times but never stopped before 2026.
Source: IMF PortWatch monthly averages of daily transit calls; hormuz.now since April 2026.
Monthly averages since 2019 as a table
| Month | PortWatch a day | hormuz.now a day |
|---|---|---|
| January 2019 | 55.6 | n/a |
| February 2019 | 59.3 | n/a |
| March 2019 | 61.7 | n/a |
| April 2019 | 68.5 | n/a |
| May 2019 | 75.5 | n/a |
| June 2019 | 81.4 | n/a |
| July 2019 | 82.2 | n/a |
| August 2019 | 79.1 | n/a |
| September 2019 | 78.1 | n/a |
| October 2019 | 73.5 | n/a |
| November 2019 | 56.4 | n/a |
| December 2019 | 57.1 | n/a |
| January 2020 | 60.4 | n/a |
| February 2020 | 61.0 | n/a |
| March 2020 | 57.6 | n/a |
| April 2020 | 70.3 | n/a |
| May 2020 | 80.2 | n/a |
| June 2020 | 85.7 | n/a |
| July 2020 | 83.5 | n/a |
| August 2020 | 83.8 | n/a |
| September 2020 | 89.0 | n/a |
| October 2020 | 86.3 | n/a |
| November 2020 | 64.9 | n/a |
| December 2020 | 60.1 | n/a |
| January 2021 | 66.3 | n/a |
| February 2021 | 68.4 | n/a |
| March 2021 | 72.4 | n/a |
| April 2021 | 86.2 | n/a |
| May 2021 | 84.9 | n/a |
| June 2021 | 91.4 | n/a |
| July 2021 | 85.9 | n/a |
| August 2021 | 84.1 | n/a |
| September 2021 | 86.6 | n/a |
| October 2021 | 80.8 | n/a |
| November 2021 | 83.9 | n/a |
| December 2021 | 78.5 | n/a |
| January 2022 | 80.0 | n/a |
| February 2022 | 94.1 | n/a |
| March 2022 | 93.4 | n/a |
| April 2022 | 101 | n/a |
| May 2022 | 95.7 | n/a |
| June 2022 | 98.9 | n/a |
| July 2022 | 93.2 | n/a |
| August 2022 | 103 | n/a |
| September 2022 | 98.6 | n/a |
| October 2022 | 101 | n/a |
| November 2022 | 84.8 | n/a |
| December 2022 | 79.1 | n/a |
| January 2023 | 76.0 | n/a |
| February 2023 | 87.8 | n/a |
| March 2023 | 86.7 | n/a |
| April 2023 | 97.2 | n/a |
| May 2023 | 104 | n/a |
| June 2023 | 102 | n/a |
| July 2023 | 101 | n/a |
| August 2023 | 104 | n/a |
| September 2023 | 102 | n/a |
| October 2023 | 95.2 | n/a |
| November 2023 | 76.9 | n/a |
| December 2023 | 74.9 | n/a |
| January 2024 | 72.8 | n/a |
| February 2024 | 72.0 | n/a |
| March 2024 | 94.3 | n/a |
| April 2024 | 100 | n/a |
| May 2024 | 105 | n/a |
| June 2024 | 105 | n/a |
| July 2024 | 103 | n/a |
| August 2024 | 92.6 | n/a |
| September 2024 | 104 | n/a |
| October 2024 | 90.0 | n/a |
| November 2024 | 83.2 | n/a |
| December 2024 | 70.6 | n/a |
| January 2025 | 70.5 | n/a |
| February 2025 | 73.9 | n/a |
| March 2025 | 83.8 | n/a |
| April 2025 | 102 | n/a |
| May 2025 | 103 | n/a |
| June 2025 | 102 | n/a |
| July 2025 | 95.2 | n/a |
| August 2025 | 94.5 | n/a |
| September 2025 | 87.9 | n/a |
| October 2025 | 89.4 | n/a |
| November 2025 | 67.4 | n/a |
| December 2025 | 55.5 | n/a |
| January 2026 | 58.5 | n/a |
| February 2026 | 78.3 | n/a |
| March 2026 | 3.2 | n/a |
| April 2026 | 7.1 | 5.2 |
| May 2026 | 3.9 | 3.0 |
| June 2026 | 12.9 | 11.5 |
| July 2026 | 10.2 | 10.7 |
| August 2026 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| September 2026 | 3.7 | 4.7 |
-
History
Iran's parliament backs closing the strait; no closure follows
After US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, parliament approves closing the strait but leaves the final decision to the Supreme National Security Council. Traffic continues.
Source: Anadolu Agency
-
History
Iran seizes the UK-flagged tanker Stena Impero
Iranian forces board and capture the tanker in the strait.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
US settles Iran's ICJ case over Flight 655 for $131.8 million
The settlement at the International Court of Justice includes $61.8 million for the victims.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
USS Vincennes shoots down Iran Air Flight 655
The airliner is shot down over the strait and all 290 people on board are killed.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
Operation Praying Mantis: US strikes Iranian naval forces
US forces sink an Iranian frigate and a gunboat, cripple a second frigate and destroy two oil platforms; 56 Iranians are killed.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
US frigate Samuel B. Roberts strikes a mine
The mine strike on the US Navy frigate leads to Operation Praying Mantis four days later.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
Reflagged tanker Bridgeton hits a mine on the first US convoy
The reflagged Kuwaiti tanker strikes a mine during the first escorted convoy of Operation Earnest Will.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
Operation Earnest Will: US Navy begins escorting reflagged Kuwaiti tankers
The escort operation runs until 26 September 1988.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
USS Stark attacked by an Iraqi aircraft; 37 US sailors killed
The Iraqi attack on the US Navy frigate comes during the Tanker War.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
The Tanker War: Iraq and Iran attack shipping in the Gulf
During the Iran–Iraq War, Iraq carries out 283 attacks on shipping and Iran 168, and well over 100 sailors are killed. The Tanker War runs until August 1988.
Source: Wikipedia
-
History
IMO adopts the Strait of Hormuz traffic separation scheme
Proposed by Iran and Oman, it has one inbound and one outbound lane, each 2 nautical miles wide, with a separation zone of similar width, in Omani territorial waters.
Source: IMO
Status history
How we decide the status →Changes in the Strait of Hormuz status that hormuz.now computes from AIS-visible traffic and dated editorial context, newest first.
| Changed (UTC) | Status | Why |
|---|---|---|
| RestrictedSeverely restricted | AIS-visible commercial traffic is about 5% of normal: 3.9 a day over the past week, against 84.8 before the crisis. Ships are crossing under US naval coordination; Iran claims control and requires transit permits; the official threat level is severe. |
More on the crisis: latest updates and daily data brief · daily ship traffic · oil and LNG flows · frequently asked questions · how hormuz.now counts ships
Timeline and context last reviewed 29 September 2026.
Live AIS data as of · 1,492 vessels visible in the region. Counts are AIS-visible only and miss ships running dark. How we count.