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President Trump claims the Strait of Hormuz remains fully functional despite significant drops in maritime traffic

President Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz is a "very functioning" waterway under "total control" of the United States, even as maritime data shows a significant decline in vessel traffic. While the administration announced that the U.S. Navy cleared the last Iranian mines from the main shipping lane, international maritime trackers and several U.S. allies have expressed skepticism regarding the full clearance of explosives. Data from firms like Kpler and Windward indicate that daily transits have dropped from approximately 130 ships per day to just a dozen or two dozen. This disruption has shifted the global oil market from a supply abundance to a state of potential scarcity, driving prices higher. While the administration maintains that the U.S. Navy has assisted in transferring millions of barrels of oil, critics argue that Iran continues to use the strait as a potent leverage tool. Neighboring Gulf countries are also developing alternative pipelines to reduce their reliance on the waterway, potentially halving its strategic value within the next few years.

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