Updated

Six months after the start of the Iran-Israel war, Iran remains standing but is facing rising costs from sustained economic pressure, according to analysis from Al Jazeera. The pressure is testing Iran at its weakest point—its economy—and is reportedly sharpening divisions within the country's leadership as sanctions, reduced trade and lingering war damage compound one another. A new report from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) underscores the scale of the disruption: commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains roughly 90 percent below pre-conflict levels, with many operators now favoring a longer northern route to avoid the chokepoint. UKMTO recorded only 101 outbound and 103 inbound full transits in the seven days to 28 August, despite a brief recovery earlier in the period, illustrating how maritime trade—and the revenue Iran depends on—continues to suffer months after the fighting ended.