On April 7, according to traders involved in related shipping activities, Iran has not allowed any LNG carrier to pass through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of hostilities several weeks ago, and this ban could exacerbate global supply shortages. On Monday, two Qatar LNG tankers appeared to be preparing to leave the Persian Gulf, but they turned back after a few hours. Traders said these two ships were not given clearance by Iranian officials. This sudden turnaround highlights that the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blocked since late February, when the US and Israel began airstrikes against Iran. Since then, the flow of ships through the strait has significantly decreased, although some tankers and other vessels still pass sporadically—usually with Iranian permission—and about one-fifth of global LNG supplies remain cut off. Sources familiar with the matter said that currently, fully loaded LNG carriers are scattered across the Persian Gulf, either because they have not yet engaged in negotiations with Iran over passage or because they have not been approved. Ship tracking data shows that more than a dozen LNG carriers are stranded in the region. It is also possible that some ships have avoided detection by turning off their transponders or that signal interference has led to tracking inaccuracies. However, both traders and ship tracking data indicate that earlier this month, only one LNG carrier had exited the Strait of Hormuz—though it was not carrying cargo.