June 12, 2026
Pictured: the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz at night, 31 August 2020, labelled by Shipping Australia. The dots in the Persian gulf at night are likely ships. Source: NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Middle East Conflict: update of 12 June 2026

By Jim Wilson

A severe threat still exists for the areas of the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman, with a range attack threats possible as the Iranian and American blockades are in effect.

On 11 June 2026 the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp declared that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all traffic and has claimed attacks on two vessels. This is denied by US Central Command (the US main command for the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman and western Indian Ocean region) which has claimed that safe pathways have been established for all commercial ships transiting Hormuz and not violating the blockade of Iran. Centcom also says U.S. forces are postured to defend against aggression and the Iran does not control the Strait.

Most ships that are successfully transiting Hormuz appear to be doing so by hugging the Omani coast. A U.S. monitoring programme for ships interested in transiting the Strait via Oman is in effect. The Kpler Commodity Brief of 12 June 2026 states that nearly 136 million barrels of non-Iranian crude have moved through “direct and Gulf of Oman-linked” channels since April.

Violence between the parties, and also directed against shipping, appears to have escalated. Tit-for-tat strikes appear to be underway.

Shipping companies are reporting successful crew transfers and re-supply of ships stranded in the Gulf. Landbridge operations allowing the transfer of cargo from various ports around the UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia to destinations across the Arabian peninsula may have been paused by individual shipping lines following the most recent resumption of violence.

Interested parties ought to contact their shipping line for up-to-date and specific advice.

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