Iranian gunboats fire on tanker in Strait of Hormuz as Iran reimposes restrictions
Last edited Sat Apr 18, 2026, 07:24 AM - Edit history (2)
Source: AP
Updated 7:13 AM EDT, April 18, 2026
CAIRO (AP) — The dueling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz lurched into uncharted waters on Saturday. The United States pressed ahead with its campaign to choke off Iranian ports and Iran reversed an initial move to reopen the waterway, firing on a ship attempting to pass. Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach.
Iran’s joint military command said on Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said on Saturday. It repored the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination.
Iran announced earlier Saturday it was reimposing restrictions on the strait in response to a U.S. blockade on Iranian shipping and ports. Iran has prevented vessels from crossing throughout the seven-week-long war, except for ones it authorizes.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-war-israel-hormuz-18-april-2026-ab475cb979825b956a10d60103026b37
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Previous article/headline -
Iran reimposes restrictions on Strait of Hormuz, accusing US of violating deal to reopen it
CAIRO (AP) -- Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the U.S. said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping. Iran's joint military command said on Saturday that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces."
It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said that even after Iran announced the strait's reopening on Friday, the American blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.
The conflict over the chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes the U.S. and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again.
Control over the strait has proven to be one Iran's main points of leverage and prompted the United States to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the U.S. and Iran.
Original article -
CAIRO (AP) -- Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the U.S. said the move would not end its blockade.
The country's joint military command said on Saturday that it "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces." It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said the American blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.
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