Newsletters
At least two merchant vessels reported being hit by gunfire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, three maritime security and shipping sources said, according to a Reuters report.
The impact of the incidents was not immediately clear, the report added.
Reuters also reported that some vessels received a VHF radio message attributed to Iran’s navy declaring the strait closed again.
"Attention all ships, regarding the failure of the U.S. government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz," the message said.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of a tanker coming under fire near the Strait of Hormuz by two gunboats belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The incident occurred 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman, UKMTO said, adding that the tanker’s captain reported the gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio challenge.
The incidents came as Iran’s military declared the Strait of Hormuz closed again on Saturday, hours after announcing it had been reopened, despite more than a dozen commercial vessels transiting the key waterway.
The back-and-forth over the strait cast doubt on optimism expressed by United States President Donald Trump a day earlier that a peace deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran was “very close.”
Tehran had said Friday that the strait—w—hich typically carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gaswas open following a ceasefire in Lebanon aimed at halting Israel’s war with Hezbollah.
The announcement initially lifted global markets and pushed oil prices lower. However, with Washington maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian ports until a deal is reached, Tehran signaled it could close the strait again.
Later Saturday, Iranian state television, citing a military central command statement, said “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous status” and is now under the “strict management and control of the armed forces,” describing the move as a response to the continued U.S. blockade.
Maritime tracking data showed several vessels attempting to pass through the narrow waterway, some sailing close to Iranian territorial waters in line with guidance from Tehran and, in some cases, identifying themselves as Indian or Chinese, apparently to signal neutrality.
By 10:30 a.m. GMT, at least eight oil and gas tankers had crossed the strait, while a similar number of vessels appeared to turn back after beginning to exit the Gulf.
Details to follow...
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
