Hormuz Transit Collapses to 29 Crossings in Three Days as IRGC Halts Tankers

Iran's IRGC said it stopped two oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz via an "unauthorized route" under US military air escort. Verified crossings fell to just 29 between July 24-26 — a sharp collapse reflecting Iran's push to force commercial traffic onto its own approved routes and fee structure. Brent crude sat at $92.27/barrel this morning (down 38 cents day-over-day, up roughly $19.67 year-over-year); WTI's most recent print was $84.59 (July 30 open). The transit collapse is a more concrete disruption signal than price alone and points to sustained elevated insurance and rerouting costs.