ALBAWABA- Naval units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire on two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, halting their passage in a sharp escalation of tensions linked to the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
According to an IRGC statement, Iranian forces fired projectiles at the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Express Room, which Tehran said is owned by an Israeli-linked entity, after the vessel allegedly ignored warnings from Iranian naval units.
The statement added that another vessel, the container ship Mayuree Naree, was also targeted with gunfire hours later after it “insisted on crossing illegally through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Iranian officials said the ships were forced to stop after the incident. The IRGC emphasized that the strait is “fully under the management and supervision” of its naval forces and claimed that vessels must obtain authorization from Iran before passing through the strategic waterway.
The commander of the IRGC naval forces questioned whether the ships had received guarantees for safe passage, stating that their crews “trusted in empty promises” and ignored Iranian warnings before attempting to cross.
The incidents come amid escalating hostilities following the U.S.–Israeli military campaign launched on February 28 targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities, which killed former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could take decisive military action, including naval and air strikes, if Iran attempts to restrict navigation through the strait, calling any disruption “unacceptable” and a threat to global energy security.
Markets reacted swiftly, with global crude prices rising more than 6 percent to above $122 per barrel amid fears of disruption to the route that carries nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Shipping insurers raised war-risk premiums while several tanker operators rerouted vessels.
