Oil Spill Response in Oman: Oman’s emergency teams are cleaning up oil washing ashore from the grounded Russian-linked tanker Caroline Bezengi, with crude fouling about 12km of coastline in a protected marine area that hosts sea turtles and humpback whales, as beach cleanup shifts to hand removal and NCEM warns of ongoing risks to wildlife. Strait of Hormuz Tensions: Oil prices rose for a fourth straight day as conflicting US-Iran claims keep uncertainty high; Trump says Hormuz is “open and operating” and no talks are planned, while Iran insists the waterway stays shut until US conditions are met, amid reports of projectiles hitting vessels and shipping traffic staying severely curtailed. Omani Route Advantage: A UN-authorized channel appears to be drawing most transits, with reports that over 80% of traffic in recent weeks used the Omani route, reducing Iran’s ability to charge tolls and keeping the maritime environment a key concern. Regional Pressure on Oman: US officials say Washington has warned Oman it opposes parts of any Iran-Oman shipping deal, with Trump again threatening to bomb Oman if it “gets in the way.” Sohar Port Growth: Sohar Port reported a 52% jump in first-half cargo handling to 52 million metric tons, alongside strong transshipment and container gains, underscoring continued logistics demand despite regional disruption.