A fresh security scare has unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it received a report of a tanker being fired at by “two gunboats linked” to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
According to the UKMTO advisory, the tanker’s captain said the two gunboats opened fire without first issuing a radio challenge. The agency said the vessel and its crew were reported safe.
The latest incident comes as shipping sources said merchant vessels in the area have also received a radio message from the Iranian navy declaring that the Strait of Hormuz is shut again and that no ships are allowed to pass. Reuters reported this marks a sudden reversal after Iran had earlier indicated the strategic waterway would remain open to commercial traffic.
The conflicting messages have added to growing uncertainty for global shipping companies operating through one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Any renewed disruption in the strait is likely to raise fresh concerns over oil and gas flows, maritime insurance costs, and wider regional stability.
Reuters and AP both reported on Saturday, April 18, that at least two merchant vessels had reported gunfire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, amid renewed Iranian restrictions and rising tension in the waterway. (Newswire)