Iran Fires on Tanker After Reclosing Strait of Hormuz Within 24 Hours
Iran fired on a commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz hours after President Donald Trump said Tehran could not “blackmail” the United States, escalating a rapidly shifting standoff in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes.
The incident came less than a day after Iran signaled the strait was open, only to reverse course and reimpose restrictions, raising new questions about control of the waterway and the risk of wider conflict.
According to the Associated Press and U.K. Maritime Trade Operations, Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker transiting the strait, though the vessel and crew were reported safe.
Iran says the move is a response to a U.S. naval blockade of its ports, while U.S. officials argue Tehran is disrupting global shipping and energy flows.
The reversal exposed a growing contradiction, as Trump had publicly suggested a deal with Iran was close even as military tensions escalated on the water.
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“Iran can’t blackmail us,” Trump said, according to Axios.
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply, and even limited disruptions have already triggered volatility in global energy markets and shipping routes.
The latest incident fits a pattern seen in recent weeks, where announcements of reopening are followed by renewed restrictions and maritime confrontations.
What happens next may depend on whether ongoing negotiations can stabilize the situation or if further attacks push the U.S. and Iran toward direct military escalation.
For now, the strait remains open in theory but contested in practice.
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