DUBAI — Two gunboats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the British military said, hours after Iran announced it was reimposing restrictions on the vital waterway.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported the incident, saying the tanker's captain described being approached by the two IRGC gunboats about 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers) northeast of Oman. The gunboats fired on the vessel without issuing a prior radio warning or challenge, according to the UKMTO advisory.
The tanker and its crew were reported safe, UKMTO said. Authorities were investigating the incident, and no further details on the vessel's identity, flag, cargo or destination were immediately available.
Iran's military earlier on Saturday declared that it had reimposed "strict management" and restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, citing "repeated breaches of trust" by the United States related to a ceasefire arrangement and ongoing U.S. actions against Iranian ports. Iranian officials had previously indicated the strait would remain open during a truce period but reversed that position.
The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, is a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, with roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through it under normal conditions.
This incident follows a period of heightened tensions in the region, during which shipping traffic through the strait has been significantly disrupted. Multiple maritime security agencies have reported previous attacks or incidents involving vessels in and around the waterway since late February 2026.
UKMTO did not attribute the firing directly to orders from Iranian leadership, but the timing coincided with Iran's announcement on the restrictions. Iranian authorities did not immediately comment on the specific incident involving the tanker.
A spokesman for the U.S. Central Command could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. No independent confirmation of casualties or damage to the tanker was available beyond the UKMTO report.
The UKMTO advisory urged vessels in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.
As of Saturday evening, details about the extent of any damage from the gunfire or the tanker's current status remained unclear. Maritime monitoring groups continued to track movements in the region amid the reimposed restrictions.
