TENSIONS in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated sharply following a second maritime incident within hours, compounding fears over the safety of one of the world’s most critical shipping routes.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations, a container ship was struck by an “unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers” approximately 46 kilometres off the coast of Oman.
The authority did not identify those responsible, adding that no fires or environmental damage had been reported and investigations were under way.
The incident followed closely after an earlier advisory from the same body that two gunboats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait.
The UKMTO said the crew and vessel involved in that encounter were safe, although it remains unclear whether the tanker sustained any damage.
The twin incidents occurred hours after Iran reimposed restrictions on vessels navigating the chokepoint, in response to the United States maintaining its blockade of Iranian ports.
Iran’s joint military command said that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces”, warning that restrictions would remain in place as long as US measures continued.
The escalation follows remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted that the naval blockade of Iranian ports will remain until a broader agreement is reached with Tehran.
Since the blockade began on April 13, the United States Central Command said 23 vessels had been compelled to turn back.
“Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from US forces to turn around,” CENTCOM said.
Shipping monitors have reported increasing disruption, with several vessels reversing course mid-transit. TankerTrackers.com said two Indian-flagged ships, including a supertanker carrying Iraqi oil, were forced to turn around after coming under fire.
Iranian authorities have delivered mixed signals on the status of the waterway. While Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi initially indicated the strait remained open, state media later asserted “full supervision of Iranian armed forces over the passage of ships, and such passage is considered null and void if the alleged naval blockade continues”.
Meanwhile, a message attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared that Iran’s navy “stands ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats,” praising the armed forces for “courageously defending the territory, waters and the flag that belongs to it.”
The latest developments underscore a volatile standoff, as both Tehran and Washington seek leverage in negotiations over a potential agreement to end hostilities and address Iran’s nuclear programme.
With commercial vessels now turning back and conditions on the water increasingly uncertain, concerns are mounting over the security of global energy supplies that depend heavily on the strait. - April 19, 2026
