It had been just a couple of hours being the Strait of Hormuz been opened, but the Iranian coastguards didn't let that happen.
On Saturday morning, April 18, 2026, two Indian-flagged vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz came under direct fire from Iranian naval forces, marking one of the most serious maritime incidents involving Indian shipping in recent years. One of the ships attacked was the VLCC Sanmar Herald — a Very Large Crude Carrier — which was fired upon by two Iranian gunboats even though it had received prior clearance to pass through the waterway.
This was not a warning shot. This was gunfire on a vessel that was following the rules.
The attack came less than 24 hours after Iran had declared the strait open to commercial traffic as part of a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by the United States between Israel and Lebanon. Maritime data firm Kpler recorded 19 ships making the crossing on Friday and early Saturday — a tentative return to normalcy after weeks of disruption. Then everything changed.
By Saturday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a blunt statement, broadcast over VHF radio to all vessels in the area: "Attention all ships — regarding the failure of the U.S. government to fulfil its commitment in the negotiation, Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely closed again. No vessel of any type or nationality is allowed to pass."
That message ended any hope of a quick resumption of normal shipping.
What Happened on April 18
Here is a step-by-step account of how Saturday unfolded:
- Early morning: Iran announced the reopening of the strait as part of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire deal. Commercial shipping begins cautiously resuming passage.
- Mid-morning: Iranian gunboats fire on the VLCC Sanmar Herald. The vessel is Indian-flagged. It had received explicit clearance to cross.
- Simultaneously: A second Indian-flagged container ship owned by French company CMA CGM is also targeted. The ship reverses course, as do three other CMA CGM vessels. The company declined to comment.
- Late morning: The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirms two separate incidents of vessels being struck. A container ship sustained damage to containers from what was described as an "unknown projectile." No fires, no environmental damage, no casualties reported — but the psychological impact on shipping companies is immediate.
- Afternoon: Iran officially re-declares the strait closed, citing the United States' ongoing blockade of Iranian ports as an act of "piracy and maritime theft."
- Evening: Iran's IRGC statement says the waterway is now "under strict management and control of the armed forces" and will remain so "until the US restores full freedom of navigation" for Iranian vessels.
On March 4, reports had emerged that Iran was allowing only Chinese vessels to pass through the strait — a move that reflected Beijing's support for Tehran since the conflict intensified. China is Iran's largest buyer of oil. One bulk carrier, the Iron Maiden, operated by Cetus Maritime Shanghai Ltd., transited the strait while visibly signalling "CHINA OWNER" on its AIS transponder.
India and Pakistan separately sent destroyers to the Gulf of Oman to escort tankers — but neither country sent ships into the strait itself, where Iranian jurisdiction is most strongly asserted.
Satellite imagery from April 10 showed a massive oil spill in the Persian Gulf near the Lavan oil refinery — damage caused by an "enemy airstrike" on April 8, according to Iranian media. An analyst from Kpler, Dimitris Ampatzidis, noted bluntly that following the Saturday attacks, the risk environment had "clearly intensified."
The crisis now has an additional flashpoint. An American minesweeper in the strait nearly triggered a direct confrontation with Iranian forces earlier this week. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf confirmed the incident was narrowly avoided — but the situation remains on a knife-edge.
India's Diplomatic and Strategic Position
New Delhi finds itself in a difficult position between the US-Iran conflict. India has traditionally maintained ties with both Washington and Tehran, buying discounted Iranian crude for years before US sanctions forced it to step back. The relationship with Iran has commercial roots — India helped develop the Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran, which serves as a trade corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
But India's ships are now being fired upon. The Indian government has not yet made a formal statement on the April 18 incident as of Sunday morning, April 19. The Ministry of External Affairs is expected to summon the Iranian envoy.
The Indian Navy's Operation Urja Suraksha has already demonstrated that New Delhi is not willing to let its merchant fleet navigate these waters unescorted. But escorts in the Gulf of Oman offer limited protection once a ship enters the strait — where Iranian naval authority is physically and legally contested.
The immediate question facing Indian shipping companies: do you reroute vessels around the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), adding roughly 12 to 15 days to journey times and significantly higher fuel and insurance costs? Many companies are already making that calculation.
Also Read | The Strait Nobody Owns: Trump's Blockade Begins, Netanyahu Backs It, Iran Calls It Piracy
What Comes Next
The US-Iran standoff over port access is the core issue. Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports as part of its broader pressure campaign. Tehran is demanding that blockade be lifted before it allows any commercial vessel — including Indian ones — safe passage.
Negotiations between the US and Iran, involving Oman as a mediator, were ongoing last week. A brief ceasefire had appeared to unlock the strait. Saturday's reversal shows how quickly that window can close.
Oil prices, which had dipped below $91 per barrel briefly on Friday on hopes of a resolution, are expected to spike again when Asian markets open Monday. Global supply chains — already strained by the Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea — now face a second chokepoint crisis simultaneously.
For Indian importers, oil refiners, and the government managing fuel subsidies and inflation, this is the worst possible combination.
