Iran has scared off most ships from the Strait of Hormuz, leaving some ships to pass through, while most continued to wait outside the Gulf.

About 90 ships including oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the war with Iran.

With oil markets paralyzed by the U.S.-Iran war, the Trump administration says it could escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz — a massive undertaking that experts say could already be in the preparatory stages.

The White House believes tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will increase before Navy escorts are deployed, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

U.S. forces used 5,000-pound deep-penetrator munitions on Iranian missile sites along the country’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command, which is overseeing U.S. military activity in the Middle East.

The strategic shipping lane carries a fifth of the world's oil. Analysts warn prolonged disruption could send fuel prices soaring and trigger a global economic slowdown.

The head of the International Maritime Organization has said that naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz will not “100 per cent guarantee” the safety of ships attempting to transit the critical waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz in Iran has been in a chokehold as ships passing having feared attacks, causing a surge in global energy prices.