US Warns Commercial Ships to Avoid Gulf Waters Amid 'Significant Military Activity'
The US Department of Transportation has issued an urgent advisory urging commercial vessels to stay clear of the Gulf region following the recent wave of attacks on Iran. The department's Maritime Administration warned that the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea are currently subject to "significant military activity," recommending that ships avoid the area whenever possible.
In a separate safety directive, US-flagged, owned, or crewed vessels were instructed to maintain a distance of at least 30 nautical miles (approximately 56 kilometres) from any US military ship to avoid being mistakenly identified as a threat amid heightened alert levels.
Meanwhile, the Qatari Ministry of Transport announced earlier that maritime navigation has been temporarily suspended in Qatari waters, further disrupting one of the world's most critical shipping lanes as regional tensions continue to escalate.
