15 ships cross Strait of Hormuz over past 24 hours after obtaining permission from Iran: Report

Fifteen ships transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours after obtaining permission from Iran, Iranian media reported Sunday.

The semi-official Fars News Agency said the vessels were allowed to pass through the strategic waterway after receiving authorization from Iranian authorities.

The news agency said that ship traffic through the strait remains 90% lower than before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February.

The region has been on alert since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including the then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. It has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.