Journalist Visits Strait of Hormuz Amid Regional Tensions
Haredi journalist Yitzhak Horowitz visited the Strait of Hormuz on the Musandam Peninsula, reporting on how regional conflict has halted tourism and disrupted smuggling operations in Oman.
Yitzhak Horowitz, a journalist for the Haredi newspaper "Bakehila," recently visited the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the focal point of tensions between the United States and Iran. Traveling to the Omani side of the strait on the Musandam Peninsula, Horowitz spoke with local residents and workers about how the ongoing regional conflict has drastically altered daily life and local commerce in the area.
Tourism and Smuggling in Khasab
Locals reported that prior to the outbreak of hostilities, thousands of tourists regularly visited the peninsula. Today, however, very few visitors make the journey, and those who do immediately draw the suspicion of local security forces. During his reporting, Horowitz was required to surrender his passport for inspection, and soldiers sternly warned him against taking photographs near a nearby military base.
In the port city of Khasab, which serves as a vital gateway to the strait, residents traditionally make their living through fishing and tourism. An Iranian restaurant owner explained the close proximity to Iran, noting that it takes only an hour by boat to cross the strait. While the streets of Khasab appeared largely deserted of people, they were instead populated by numerous roaming goats. The restaurant owner explained that these animals are imported from Iran for smuggling into the United Arab Emirates. With maritime traffic sharply declining due to security concerns, the smuggling operations have slowed, leaving the livestock wandering freely through the town.
Maritime Threats and Regional Tensions
Addressing the security situation, the restaurant owner remarked that while drone activity has been detected near military positions on the mountains and explosions can occasionally be heard in the distance, the town itself remains relatively calm. A local boat captain shared similar observations regarding the fears plaguing the tourism industry:
Tourists think the Iranians are shooting at us every day, but they only target oil tankers.
During a brief boat trip into the waters of the strait, various vessels, including oil tankers waiting for nightfall to safely resume their journeys, were visible. The captain explained that tankers often face the threat of sea mines and aerial attacks once they move further out into open water. He recounted witnessing a recent attack on a Panama-flagged tanker that was struck by a drone and caught fire, resulting in the death of one crew member before the local coast guard intervened. The captain noted that the targeted vessel was later discovered to be Iranian-owned and allegedly attempting to smuggle oil, leading to widespread local speculation regarding the perpetrators behind the strike as tensions across the waterway persist.
