At least two merchant vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz came under gunfire on Saturday, according to Reuters citing three maritime sources, in a sharp escalation that raises immediate concerns over shipping safety in the world’s most critical oil chokepoint.
The incidents occurred as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintained what it termed “strict management” of the waterway, reversing FM Abbas Araghchi’s declaration just 24 hours earlier that Hormuz was “completely open.” The US naval blockade also remains in force, creating a dangerous dual-authority situation in the narrow strait.
The gunfire reports mark the first confirmed armed confrontation involving commercial shipping since the IRGC reversed its position on Hormuz access on Saturday. Maritime insurance premiums for the region, already elevated since the April 8 ceasefire, are expected to spike further.
For Sri Lanka, the development compounds fuel supply uncertainty at a critical juncture. While the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has secured shipments through April, renewed Hormuz instability threatens medium-term supply lines and could push oil prices back above $100 per barrel — reversing the post-ceasefire decline that saw Brent fall to roughly $88.
The incident comes days before Trump’s ceasefire deadline on Wednesday and the scheduled second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad on Monday. If commercial shipping cannot safely transit Hormuz, the diplomatic window for de-escalation narrows further.
International maritime authorities have yet to issue formal advisories on the gunfire incidents. The identity of those who fired on the vessels was not immediately confirmed.
