PDB Afternoon Bulletin | June 23rd, 2026: The Good News And Bad News From Hormuz & Iranian 'Jellyfish' Drones Down U.S. Jet
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
It's Tuesday, the 23rd of June. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First up, the good news, the Strait of Hormuz is no longer at a standstill. The bad news, well, shipping companies still don't trust it. We'll take a closer look at why traffic remains well below pre-war levels despite signs of recovery. Later in the show, a bizarre new detail emerges from the war with Iran. A U.S. fighter pilot shot down over Iranian territory reportedly described seeing a swarm of drones moving through the sky in what he called a jellyfish formation moments before his aircraft was hit. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. There's both good news and bad news coming out of the Strait of Hormuz this week.
The good news is that traffic is moving again. Following last week's memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, commercial vessels have begun returning to the waterway. Iranian oil exports are resuming as the U.S. lifts its blockade of Iranian ports and eases sanctions on the regime. And some of the massive backlog of ships trapped inside the Persian Gulf is finally starting to clear. Now, the bad news is that the Strait of Hormuz is still a long way from normal. According to maritime tracking firm Kepler, 109 vessels transited the strait between Saturday and Monday. That's the busiest three-day period since the conflict began earlier this year. That's a notable improvement from the near standstill seen during the height of the crisis and a sign that shipping companies are slowly regaining confidence in the route.
The Iranian regime, no surprise, well, they appear eager to get back to business.
What is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz?
Analysts report that at least a dozen tankers carrying Iranian crude oil are now making their way toward Asian markets. That, of course, is money in the bank for the regime. The movement of those shipments, combined with the Trump administration's decision to roll back significant oil sanctions on Iran for the next 60 days, has allowed the regime to realize a potential windfall in oil revenues. Vice President J.D. Vance has implied that those concessions result from Iran agreeing to allow UN inspectors access to their nuclear program. However, regime officials, well, they pushed back on that notion, claiming nothing has changed and they have not agreed to inspections. In short, well, the MOU is having an impact both on traffic in the Strait and certainly on the regime's bank account.
But that news does come with an important caveat. Before the conflict, more than 130 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz every single day.
Why are shipping companies still hesitant about Hormuz traffic?
By comparison, the recent surge in traffic remains well below normal levels. Maritime authorities estimate that between 500 and 600 vessels are still working their way through a lingering backlog created during months of disruptions, uncertainty, and conflict. And the reason for that caution becomes clear when you look beneath the headlines. The central shipping channel, traditionally used by commercial traffic, is reportedly still contaminated with naval mines, forcing many operators to choose between two alternative routes – One route hugs the Iranian coastline along the northern side of the strait. The other follows a southern path, close to Oman and areas patrolled by U.S. naval forces.
What new details have emerged about the U.S. fighter pilot incident?
Neither option, frankly, is ideal. The northern route places vessels closer to Iranian territory and potential military activity. The southern route has become increasingly popular, but some operators remain concerned about security conditions and the possibility of renewed tensions, adding to the uncertainty are continued reports of GPS interference and electronic disruptions throughout the region, problems that can, of course, complicate navigation in one of the world's most important maritime routes. As a result, a large number of shipping companies are still opting for a wait-and-see approach. Several major carriers still have vessels stranded in the Gulf while their security teams assess conditions and determine when it will be safe to proceed.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:12–2:03
2
What is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz?
2:03–3:02
3
Why are shipping companies still hesitant about Hormuz traffic?
3:02–3:44
4
What new details have emerged about the U.S. fighter pilot incident?
3:44–4:28
5
How do Iranian drones operate in 'jellyfish' formation?
4:28–5:55
6
What implications does the pilot's report have for drone warfare?
5:55–14:56
Speakers
2 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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