Oil Tanker Appears to Halt in Hormuz After Iran Targets Vessels

By Weilun Soon

Jul 20, 2026 (Bloomberg) –An oil tanker appears to have halted in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman after the Iranian Navy again targeted vessels in the waterway, raising concerns about deepening disruptions as Middle East hostilities escalate.

The Kavomaleas, a products tanker, started signaling early Monday near the tip of the Musandam Peninsula, indicating that it’s anchored and empty. The previous broadcast from the vessel was in the Gulf of Oman early Sunday, suggesting the ship had initially had been transiting through the strait into the Persian Gulf with its transponder turned off — a tactic to avoid