Tension has sharply escalated in the Strait of Hormuz after fresh reports of attacks on commercial vessels and a renewed closure of the critical shipping route by Iran.
Maritime security officials say a tanker off the coast of Oman came under fire from two Iranian gunboats, while a container ship was struck by a projectile, raising new fears over safety in one of the world’s busiest oil corridors.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre, the incidents add to growing uncertainty around the waterway, where movements have been shifting rapidly over the past day.
Iranian authorities confirmed they had again shut the Strait, reversing an earlier reopening, in response to an ongoing naval blockade imposed by the United States on Iranian ports.
Shipping data from MarineTraffic shows that some tankers had resumed transit earlier on Saturday before the situation deteriorated again. The quick changes have left vessel operators struggling to track what is safe, with confusion also casting doubt on claims by Donald Trump that a deal to ease tensions is close.
As access tightened, at least two vessels were forced to abandon their planned routes. The Indian-flagged cargo ship JAG ARNAV and oil tanker SANMAR HERALD were both ordered to turn back after being denied passage by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tracking data shows the ships slowing near Larak Island before making a U-turn along the approved corridor.
The SANMAR HERALD, which had a draught of 21 metres, appeared to be fully loaded with crude oil, likely from Iraq based on its recent movements. It remains unclear whether this tanker is the same vessel reported to have come under fire.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command said it has forced 23 ships to turn back since enforcing the blockade on April 13. In a post on X, the command said American forces are continuing with the operation, despite Iran’s latest move to shut the Strait again.
Beyond the Gulf, tensions were also reported in the eastern Mediterranean. Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed in Lebanon during a peacekeeping mission. In a statement, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon confirmed that one of its patrols “came under small arms fire from non-state-actors”.
The fast-changing developments across the region highlight a fragile security situation, with both naval activity and armed incidents raising concerns about wider instability.