Shipping Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz Hits a Snag

Israel just cannot contain its expansionism

By: Austin Abbring

June 22, 2026

Following the signing of the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), tensions have already risen as Israel has violated the peace terms, as the IDF (Israel Defense Force) continues military operations in Lebanon. Any progress towards peace between the United States and Iran during this 60-day period is contingent upon Israel complying with simple terms, which it clearly lacks the ability to do. Iran and the United States continue to discuss their peace terms in Switzerland, so I am refraining from diving too deep into anything surrounding what is coming until we know more. 

On the surface, we know this is an embarrassing capitulation by the United States. As I thought it would be, and as it should be. There was zero justification for any of our military action in Iran, not just in launching this war, but from bombing enriched uranium facilities last summer. We could not have a more inept, enigmatic administration attempting to lead us through this engagement. There was zero chance this would not end in disaster. Once more official terms are announced, I will be sure to report and opine on that further.

Iran has claimed it has closed the Strait of Hormuz once again over the weekend following Israeli bombings in southern Lebanon. According to Windward, a maritime intelligence company, only 12 ships traversed the strait on Sunday, which was down from the previous day’s total of over twenty. I estimate we are likely to see gas prices hike back up soon, probably by the 4th of July weekend. In fact, over this sixty-day negotiation period, I think we will see fluctuations in gas and oil prices due to hostilities and uncertainties. Especially if negotiations fall apart. Which, if they do, look out. Donald Trump has very cleverly and publicly admitted at the G-7 that oil reserves will run out in four months. It is unclear if he means global reserves or U.S. reserves, but either way not an ideal admission should negotiations go awry, and we end up back at square one with no ceasefire and a fully blocked strait by Iran. 

Negotiations going awry are most definitely a possibility, especially since we cannot rely on Israel to uphold its part of the MoU. Shocking, I know. Netanyahu finally got an American president dumb enough to indulge him in a war with Iran. There is no way he is only going to let it last for three months. Unfortunately, like practically every action taken by this Trump regime 2.0, American consumers are going to be disproportionately bearing the burden of the impacts of this war and the global economic crisis from it as well. We can easily track this crisis, too, just by monitoring the traffic in the Strait over the last several months. 

Credit: Statista via IMF PortWatch

I could not think of a more cataclysmic seismic legacy this Trump presidency will leave behind than this, at least outside of our nation’s borders. The whole world has watched as we continue to squander our global image and relations. Every other developed nation is standing by with life preservers as our nation struggles to tread proverbial water in relation to our geopolitics and militaristic representation. Our allies just don’t know anymore whether or not they should toss out those life preservers to give the United States yet another chance. There will come a day when they will not. And they will be just in leaving us behind.