The Suezmax tanker Karolos, carrying Iraqi crude oil, is making its way to India after recently crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker was spotted in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, having departed from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates a week earlier. It is reported to be fully loaded, having taken on crude oil at Basra on May 10-11. Ship-tracking company Kpler has verified the tanker’s cargo and its trajectory. Meanwhile, the number of daily commercial transits through the Strait has significantly decreased, with only five ships reported on Friday, down from eleven the previous day. This decline reflects ongoing tensions in the region, as the conflict enters its twelfth week, with transits remaining far below prewar levels. The US continues to monitor the situation, with the oil tanker Agios Fanourios I currently halted in the Gulf after being intercepted while en route from Iraq to Vietnam. The geopolitical dynamics surrounding the Strait of Hormuz remain complex, with Iran maintaining its stance on sovereignty as a condition for re-engagement in diplomatic discussions.