Gulf shipping braces as Israeli strikes on Iran rattle trade artery

Gulf region is again on high alert as reported Israeli strikes on senior Iranian military and nuclear officials have jolted Gulf shipping, raising fears that the war between the two rivals could spill onto the sea lanes.

Intelligence firm Windward logged 158 cargo vessels either anchored or creeping at low speed inside Iran’s exclusive economic zone in the 48 hours after the strikes, an unusual concentration that signals operators are pausing before committing hulls through the narrow Strait of Hormuz.