Merchant vessels continue to use the Strait of Hormuz, despite the risks of attacks that expose crews to serious dangers. A weekly report from the UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO), released on November 6, recorded 325 passages between October 29 and November 4. This figure represents an increase of about 17% compared to the previous week, which accounted for 277 passages. However, the current volume remains about 65% below the records prior to the conflict in Iran. The continuity of this flow depends on Iran's ability to sustain the attacks and the willingness of the United States to protect navigation and bear the resulting costs.
Ali Mohammadi, an expert in Iranian affairs based in France, considers that the geography of the country and its equipment allow for maintaining actions against vessels. He points, however, to the economic burden of war as the main obstacle to Tehran. "The limitation of Iran in the Strait of Hormuz is of an economic nature, rather than a military one, since the continuity of the conflict has a significant impact on its economy," Mohammadi said. It is unclear how long Iran will be able to sustain the attacks, given the lack of reliable information about its stockpiles of weapons and its spare capacity.