Iranian Gunboats Open Fire on Tanker in Strait of Hormuz Just Hours After Declaring It Open
An Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker, the Sanmar Herald, came under direct fire from Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, 2026. The captain’s desperate radio pleas captured the chaos: “You gave me clearance to go! My name second on your list! You gave me clearance to go, you are firing now. Let me turn back!”
UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the attack about 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. Two IRGC patrol boats approached without any VHF warning and opened fire on the vessel carrying Iraqi crude oil. The tanker and crew escaped unharmed but were forced to reverse course immediately.
This unprovoked assault hit just one day after Iran publicly claimed the strait was fully open following U.S. statements. Instead, Tehran quickly reimposed restrictions, citing alleged breaches, while its own forces harassed merchant shipping. A second Indian vessel and a container ship also reported attacks or projectiles in the same area.
The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of global oil trade. Iran’s repeated games—promising safe passage then resorting to gunfire—expose the regime’s unreliability and its willingness to hold the world’s energy supplies hostage. Weak responses only invite more aggression from the IRGC.