Updated

US Central Command told Al Jazeera that its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains 'highly effective,' underscoring the ongoing US military posture in the waterway following the recent war with Iran. Separately, two sailors went missing after a tanker, identified as the El Gaia, came under attack near the strait, highlighting the persistent security risks in one of the world's busiest oil shipping corridors. The prolonged disruption is now rippling through global energy markets, with China—one of the largest importers of crude transiting the strait—facing mounting supply pressure as prices soar and shipping options narrow. Beijing is reportedly drawing down its strategic reserves and scouting alternative crude sources to offset the impact of the blockade and related tanker incidents, illustrating how the standoff over Hormuz is reshaping international oil trade well beyond the immediate region.