Gunfire Reported as Two Ships Attempt to Cross the Strait of Hormuz Amid Fresh Iranian Warning

• Two merchant vessels were reportedly hit by gunfire while trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz after Iran tightened its grip on the waterway once again
• Iran's Navy sent a rare radio message to merchant ships warning that the strait was shut and no vessels were allowed to pass
• Iran's Supreme Leader posted a defiant message on Telegram, warning that the Iranian Navy was ready to deliver fresh defeats to its enemies

Nerissa Naidoo, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, previously worked as an editor, content creator, researcher, and ghostwriter before joining the team.

INTERNATIONAL - At least two merchant vessels reported being struck by gunfire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, 18 April 2026, according to three maritime security and shipping sources. The incident occurred shortly after Iran announced it was once again tightening military control over the waterway, reversing a brief period during which a convoy of eight tankers had managed to transit the strait in the first major movement of ships since the US-Israeli war on Iran began seven weeks ago.

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Iran shuts strait again

Iran's armed forces said the decision to restore strict military control came after what they described as repeated violations and acts of piracy by the United States under the guise of a naval blockade. A spokesperson said Iran had earlier agreed in good faith to allow a limited number of oil tankers and commercial vessels to pass through after negotiations, but said continued US actions had forced Tehran to reverse that decision. There was no immediate response from the US.

In a pointed message posted on his Telegram channel, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei made clear that his country was not backing down, saying the Iranian Navy stood ready to inflict further defeats on its enemies. The renewed messaging added fresh uncertainty to an already fragile situation, with a two-week ceasefire set to expire on Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

Trump and Iran remain far apart

US President Donald Trump said earlier on Friday that there was some pretty good news coming out of Iran, though he did not elaborate. He also warned that fighting could resume if a peace deal was not reached before the ceasefire deadline and confirmed that a US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place in the meantime. Trump told reporters he expected direct talks between the US and Iran to take place over the weekend, though diplomats said that appeared unlikely given the logistics involved in gathering negotiators in Islamabad, where the talks are expected to be held.

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Key differences remain over Iran's nuclear programme, which has been a major sticking point throughout the negotiations. Trump has said the US would remove Iran's stockpiles of enriched uranium, while Iran's Foreign Ministry said the material would not be transferred outside Iranian territory under any circumstances.

Other Iran and US stories

US Vice President JD Vance confirmed that 21 hours of negotiations with Iran in Islamabad ended without an agreement, leaving the world watching and waiting for Iran's next move.

FIFA confirmed that Iran would still take part in the 2026 World Cup despite the ongoing conflict.

Trump used unusually strong language to ban Israel from carrying out further strikes in Lebanon, and markets reacted immediately after Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz was open.

Source: Briefly News