Strait of Hormuz threat level downgraded after Iran deal, says U.S.-led maritime security group

The threat to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz has lessened following the announcement of the Iran deal, a naval coalition led by the United States told shippers in a notice this week. The Joint Maritime Information Center downgraded the threat level in Hormuz to "substantial" from "severe" in an advisory note published Tuesday. The center is a maritime security organization headquartered in Bahrain that coordinates among allied navies and merchant ships in the Middle East. Shippers should nevertheless remain aware that "an attack is still a strong possibility" when navigating the strait, the JMIC said in its notice. Mines also remain a threat and "caution is advised on all approaches." But the behavior of Iran's Revolutionary Guard "has become less volatile" following the announcement of the U.S.-Iran deal, the JMIC said. The U.S. Navy continues to "provide stabilizing oversight," according to the notice. Oil tanker traffic through Hormuz has not significantly increased since the U.S. and Iran announced the deal on Sunday. Six tankers and 13 commercial ships transited Hormuz on Tuesday, according to data shared by Kpler. More than 100 vessels sailed through the strait daily before the war. "Strait of Hormuz traffic remained significantly reduced," the JMIC said in its Tuesday notice. The security situation in Hormuz was classified as "critical," the highest threat level issued by the JMIC, as recently as June 4. …