Oman’s position as a mediator in US-Iran talks on Strait of Hormuz navigation has intersected with direct military friction. Iranian forces conducted multiple drone and missile strikes on Omani ports including Duqm, Salalah, and Sohar, as well as vessels off the coast, beginning in March 2026 amid the broader US-Iran conflict that followed strikes on Iranian leadership. These actions targeted facilities linked to US operations or alternative shipping routes bypassing Iranian-controlled lanes. Recent developments include ongoing bilateral working-group meetings on maritime service fees and mine-clearing operations, alongside IRGC assertions of independent authority over Hormuz transit. Trader assessments of further Iranian targeting hinge on the durability of any de-escalation framework, US enforcement of shipping protections, and whether hardline elements in Tehran view Omani territory as leverage in stalled negotiations.