In the Red Sea’s Bab al-Mandeb Strait, 26 vessels transited on Thursday, up from 19 the previous day. UPDATE, AUG 6:Only two vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, down from eight each on Monday and Tuesday. UPDATE 1238 GMT:An Iranian official says negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz are being conducted exclusively between Iran and Oman and “have nothing to do with the United States”. The official continued, “The possible agreement between Iran and Oman on the arrangements for vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with the immediate opening of this strait.” UPDATE 0728 GMT:Only eight vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the same number as Monday.