Update(1955ET):

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke earlier with MS NOW about the current status of the world's most critical maritime energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, which remains paralyzed.

Araghchi told the outlet, "As a matter of fact, the Strait of Hormuz is open," adding, "It is only closed to tankers and ships belonging to our enemies—those who are attacking us and their allies. Others are free to pass."

According to Bloomberg AIS ship-tracking data, both the entrance and exit of the Hormuz chokepoint remain clogged with tankers. Traffic flows were still muted as of 19:50 ET.

Reuters reported earlier today that two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas crossed the narrow waterway.

"They crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely early this morning and are en route to India," Indian Ports Minister Rajesh Kumar Sinha said.

Update(1358ET):

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that U.S.-based Citibank branches in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain's capital, Manama, were targeted by drones overnight, suggesting that civilian infrastructure has not been spared in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

From data centers to skyscrapers to water desalination plants, it now appears that IRGC drone strikes are spilling over into Gulf financial infrastructure. Tasnim reported that some banks pulled staff from buildings, shifted operations remotely, and that Citibank temporarily suspended certain in-person activities in the UAE.

Tasnim noted that Citi is a major node in the dollar system, especially in the Gulf region, where it handles oil trade finance, dollar settlements, and services for sovereign wealth funds and multinational corporations.

Update(1255ET): While it's unclear whether this is born of desperation or it's "all part of the plan"...President Trump said Saturday he wants other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz alongside the United States to break Iran's chokehold on one of the globe's most critical oil arteries.

Posting on Truth Social Saturday, he claimed that other countries "will be sending War Ships" to the region - then added he "hopefully" expects major economies to step in; however, there doesn't appear to be any 'help' on the horizon. In fact it could be the opposite, after Italy's Meloni declared her country "won't be part of an illegal war". 

"Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated," Trump wrote. But he also simultaneously made clear the US is not waiting around:

"In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water," he said. "One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"