Shipping routes through Strait of Hormuz placed on highest alert level
Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz are on the highest alert level, with firms rerouting vessels away from the tense waterway that carries about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil.
Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz have been placed on the highest alert level, as firms reroute vessels away from the tense waterway.
The narrow strait is one of the world's most important oil transit points, carrying about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil, so any disruption there can quickly affect prices and trade costs.
Oil markets are already on edge after recent attacks on tankers nearby, and governments are urging restraint, warning that a wider conflict could choke global trade.
For now, ships are moving with extra caution, with crews on watch around the clock, while the world watches the vital waterway.
Reporting based on coverage from BBC News.