Merchant ships report gunfire while trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz

By Muhammad MubashirPublished On 18 Apr 2026

The extent of the impact was not immediately clear.

However, Iran’s IRIB reports that naval forces intercepted and forced two Indian vessels to turn back west out of the Strait of Hormuz, with reports indicating that warning shots were fired during the encounter.

One of the intercepted ships has been identified as an Indian-flagged Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.

The forced retreat follows Iran’s Central Military Headquarters announcing the renewed closure of the strategic waterway, stating that all maritime passage now requires explicit approval from Tehran.