COMMERCIAL shipping sources have reported renewed Iranian military restrictions and fresh insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz, just a day after indications that limited shipping movement had resumed.
Shipping industry sources revealed this on Saturday, April 18, noting that vessels transiting the corridor received direct radio messages from Iran’s navy declaring the Strait closed again to commercial traffic. While no ships were officially blocked, maritime operators described the situation as highly unstable.
According to Reuters three maritime security and shipping sources said that at least two merchant vessels were also reportedly struck by gunfire while attempting to cross the waterway, marking a sharp escalation in risk for one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
The latest disruption comes only hours after maritime tracking data showed a convoy of eight tankers entering the Strait, the first significant movement since the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran seven weeks ago.
That brief easing followed Iran’s earlier announcement that the Strait had been reopened under a temporary ceasefire arrangement linked to broader regional diplomacy.
However, the situation reversed on Saturday after Iranian authorities said they were reinstating strict military control over the waterway, citing continued US naval actions and what Tehran described as violations of a blockade on Iranian ports.
Iran’s armed forces reportedly justified the move as a response to what it called “piracy under the guise of enforcement,” arguing that an earlier agreement allowing limited passage of commercial vessels had been undermined.
A message attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, posted on a Telegram channel, said the navy was prepared to inflict “new bitter defeats” on its adversaries, signalling continued hardline positioning despite diplomatic efforts.
The developments contrast with remarks earlier from Donald Trump, who hinted at “pretty good news” regarding Iran but warned that fighting could resume if no agreement is reached before a ceasefire deadline next week.
The renewed uncertainty follows a fragile sequence of diplomatic shifts, just a day earlier, Iran had signalled that the Strait would remain open under a 10-day US-brokered ceasefire tied to de-escalation efforts involving Israel and Lebanon.
The United States government has not yet issued a formal response to Saturday’s developments.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.