May 18, Kathmandu – Tensions have escalated again in the Strait of Hormuz. On Saturday, reports emerged of gunfire targeting two Indian vessels. Following the attack, both ships were reportedly forced to alter their routes, according to information cited from BBC Hindi. The news outlet referenced data from ‘TankersTrackers,’ a website that monitors tanker movements, indicating that these ships changed course after being fired upon.
The Indian cargo ship Ship Jag Arnav and the oil tanker Sanmar Herald came under fire by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which allegedly ordered the ships to change their course. Subsequently, both vessels made a U-turn and retreated. The Sanmar Herald had reportedly loaded oil in Iraq prior to the incident. On the same day, the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations also confirmed that an IRGC attack on a tanker took place in the Strait of Hormuz, approximately 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.
Just a day earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared the Strait of Hormuz to be fully open. However, Iranian media later reported that the Strait had been closed due to military actions, citing renewed control by Iranian forces in the area. Following these developments, numerous ships altered their courses. Meanwhile, the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran still has four days remaining, with no final outcome reached in the ongoing peace talks. Earlier discussions held in Islamabad, Pakistan were reported to have been nearing a conclusion. On the same day, former U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran failed to secure a major deal by Wednesday, April 22, bombing campaigns would resume.
