Chris Windley Cyber Evangelist

Sweden is stepping up the shadow fleet game with another violent boarding of a stateless tanker, last one less than a week ago. Minister Bohlin surely does not sound like this is the last of it. Previous boarding has led to detention of vessel CAFFA and charges against crew.

The Strait of Hormuz has always been called a risk zone. But now it feels like a real crisis for the global fleet. Six vessels were attacked, two oil tankers were left burning, and one crew member was killed. As ships began to rethink their route, oil prices surged. The bigger picture, however, is that tankers are no longer the only issue. The same narrow waterway is being closely monitored by ports, charterers, insurers, bulk carriers, and container ships. Around 20% of the world’s oil trade passes through this corridor, making it one of the most important chokepoints in global shipping. When something happens here, the impact spreads fast — from energy prices to freight rates and port schedules.

Today, January 13, 2026, is day 17 of the protests in Iran. The situation has escalated into total confrontation and information war. The regime is even shutting down Starlink - which means they must be using new electronic warfare (which could have been received from Russia or China). BBC’s Iranian service reports, citing data from NetBlocks, a global internet monitoring organization, that internet access in Iran has been blocked for more than 108 hours. This is the regime's attempt to create an information vacuum to push down the protests. These actions have led to an almost complete halt in the operations of banks and serious issues with logistics. According to reports, Iran's authorities have resumed access to phone networks today, and access to the Internet might start resuming within 48 hours. Islamic elites are now making their choice: someone is taking their families abroad, some decide to stay with the regime till the end. This is also a sign that there won't be a "soft scenario" of the transit of power. Radicalization is growing on both sides. The authorities are using firearms, killing, maiming, arresting and publicly executing protesters. In response, mosques and government buildings are set on fire. Protests do not stop. Everyone is waiting for actions by the United States. Despite all the challenges in Ukraine, we keep up with the events in Iran. My solidarity is with the brave and courageous people fighting for their freedom in Iran.