Tensions high in Hormuz as Iran hits ships, US blockade turns back vessels

Tensions gripped West Asia as uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz deepened, with Iran claiming control and hitting vessels, while the US military moved in parallel to regulate traffic

Fresh incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz have raised tensions, particularly for ships trying to cross the channel after Iran declared it was open, as reports of attacks on commercial vessels trickle in and US forces turn ships back to enforce a blockade. Citing a US Defence Department official, Axios reported that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had carried out at least three attacks on commercial ships in the Strait since Saturday morning.

 

The US military said its forces had turned 23 vessels back to Iran while enforcing the blockade in the region, indicating parallel efforts to control movement through the waterway.

 

 

Meanwhile, Iranian media, citing First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, said Iran was in charge of managing the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian gunboats fire on tankers in Hormuz

Meanwhile, Associated Press reported that the British military as saying that a container vessel has been struck near the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said an unknown projectile hit the vessel about 25 nautical miles (46 kilometres) northeast of Oman, damaging some containers onboard.

 

The AP report added that this was the second such incident on Saturday, following an earlier attack in which two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait.

 

Further details from Reuters said UKMTO had received a report that a tanker was fired upon by “two gunboats linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)” around 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The vessel’s captain said the gunboats opened fire without issuing a radio warning, though both the ship and its crew were safe.

Chaos in Hormuz as confusion persists

According to Reuters, more than a dozen tankers, including sanctioned vessels, transited the strait after a 50-day blockade was lifted on Friday, based on shipping data.

 

The report, citing ship-tracking data, said vessels using Iranian waters near Larak Island were largely older and non-Western-owned. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said passage had been arranged for a limited number of ships under prior agreements, while other vessels were seen turning back as controls tightened.

 

The disruption has left hundreds of vessels stranded in the Gulf and choked energy supplies, particularly to Asian nations, since the conflict began on February 28.