Ships Slip Through Hormuz Amid Tensions

0:00Today is March 18th. Here's what's making headlines worldwide. Despite rising tensions in the Middle East, ships continue to pass through the straight of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point. Maritime trackers report at least 89 vessels made it across between March 1 and 15, including 16 oil tankers. Many were so-called dark ships dodging sanctions with strong links to Iran. More recently, vessels tied to India and Pakistan have slipped through, too, thanks to behind-the-scenes talks with Iran. For instance, two Indian gas carriers in a Pakistani tanker navigated the straight safely around mid-March. Oil prices have surged over 40 percent to more than $100 a barrel since the conflict heated up. President Trump urged allies to deploy warships to reopen the route fully and ease those costs. Meanwhile, Iran has exported over 16 million barrels since early March, mostly to China. The United States has allowed some Iranian tankers through to help steady global supplies,

1:00even after bombing military targets on Carg Island. Officials spared the key oil facilities there for now. Analysts say the straight is not fully shut down but selectively restricted, letting Iranian exports flow while limiting others. This set of helps Iran profit and maintain control, though tanker traffic remains well below normal levels. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor, see the episode description. If earbuds fall out when you sleep, this is for you. A pillow with built-in sound. S-O-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.COM