Vessels report being hit by gunfire as Iran says Strait of Hormuz shut again

Merchant vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday received radio messages from Iran’s navy telling them they were not allowed to pass, while two ships reported being hit by gunfire, shipping sources said.

Several commercial vessels tried to transit the strait after receiving a notice to mariners a day earlier saying passage would be allowed but restricted to lanes Iran deemed safe.

On Saturday, at least two ships reported that Iranian boats fired shots, shipping and maritime security sources told Reuters. The incidents were reported in waters between the Qeshm and Larak islands. The vessels turned back without completing the crossing, the sources said.

The United Kingdom Maritime ​Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman. The captain of a tanker said it had been approached by two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats that fired on the vessel. The tanker and its crew were safe.

A container ship was also hit by gunfire, a maritime security source said.

Some vessels reported that Iran’s navy had been broadcasting a VHF message saying the Strait of Hormuz was closed again.

“Attention all ships, regarding the failure of the U.S. government to fulfill 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 through the Strait of Hormuz,” the radio message said.

Hundreds ​of ships and about 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf, waiting to pass through the key waterway, which handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.

航运消息人士称，周六试图穿越霍尔木兹海峡的商船收到伊朗海军的无线电消息，告知他们不允许通过；另有两艘船只报告称遭到炮火袭击。

此前一天，伊朗向海员发出通知，称允许通行，但仅限于伊朗认为安全的航道。随后，几艘商船试图通过海峡。

据路透社援引航运和海上安全消息人士报道，周六至少有两艘船只报告称，伊朗船只向其开火。事件发生在格什姆岛和拉拉克岛之间的海域。消息人士称，这些船只在未完成穿越的情况下折返。

英国海事贸易行动局（UKMTO）表示，他们收到一份报告，称在阿曼东北方向20海里处发生了一起事件。一艘油轮的船长称，两艘伊朗伊斯兰革命卫队的炮艇靠近该船并向其开火。油轮及其船员均安全。

据海事安全部门消息人士称，一艘集装箱船也遭到枪击。

一些船只报告称，伊朗海军通过甚高频广播消息称霍尔木兹海峡再次关闭。

“所有船只请注意，鉴于美国政府未能履行其在谈判中的承诺，伊朗宣布霍尔木兹海峡再次完全关闭。任何类型、任何国籍的船只均不得通过霍尔木兹海峡。” 无线电广播如此说道。

数百艘船只和约 2 万名海员仍然滞留在海湾，等待通过这条重要的水道，该水道承担着全球约 20% 的石油和液化天然气运输量。