Oil tanker and container ships are targets of fire; vessels retreat after order to close the route
Commercial ships that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz this Saturday (April 18, 2026) were prevented from continuing their journey and, in at least 2 cases, were hit by gunfire, according to the agency . Maritime security reports indicate that Iranian vessels opened fire on ships in the region between the islands of Qeshm and Larak, prompting commanders to retreat before completing the crossing.
The episodes coincide with alerts issued by the UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, the British maritime traffic monitoring authority), which recorded 2 separate incidents on the northeast coast of Oman. In one of them, the commander of an oil tanker reported that the vessel was approached by two armed speedboats from the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), which opened fire without prior radio warning; There were no injuries, and the crew is safe, according to the .
In another, the UKMTO reported that a container ship was hit by an unidentified projectile, which caused damage to part of the cargo, with no fire or environmental impact reported. Authorities are investigating the 2 cases, which occurred approximately 20 to 25 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.
In addition to the attacks, ships sailing through the strait reported receiving radio messages attributed to the Iranian Navy that the passage was closed again. “Attention all ships […] Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is authorized to pass.”said the communication.
The closure comes after a warning issued the day before indicating that the crossing could resume on a limited basis, on routes considered safe by Tehran. This Saturday (April 18), Iran will once again exercise strict control over commercial ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s main energy routes, responsible for the flow of around 20% of the oil and LNG (liquefied natural gas) consumed globally. With the recent escalation, hundreds of ships and around 20,000 crew members remain trapped in the Gulf, awaiting authorization to cross the maritime corridor
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