‘Zombie’ ships reported in Strait of Hormuz as mystery grows | World | News

The critical trade route has been blocked by Iran amid the ongoing conflict, which was sparked after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on some key Iranian regions on February 28. Iran responded by striking targets in the Middle East, plunging the region into conflict.

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Traffic in the strait has decreased significantly since the conflict began.

However, according to Australian news site news.com, a Japanese tanker and a vehicle ship carrying liquefied natural gas entered and exited the canal last week.

The ship is thought to have been decommissioned and parts scrapped before the war began, but it appears to have resurfaced later.

A zombie ship is a ship operating under the identity of an officially retired ship; that is, it is an active ship using a nickname that no longer exists.

This is often done to evade international sanctions, enable illegal cargo movements and circumvent security regulations.

This comes as pressure grows on Iran to reopen the key trade route, the only way out of the Persian Gulf.