The Strait of Hormuz has descended into a literal war zone this morning after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) opened fire on civilian Indian oil tankers.
In a chilling audio intercept obtained from maritime channels, the crew of the Sanmar Herald, a massive vessel carrying 2 million barrels of crude, can be heard screaming for their lives as Iranian gunboats began shooting despite previously giving the ship clearance to pass.
“Sepah Navy! Motor Tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… You are firing now! Let me turn back!”
The "Sepah Navy" (the IRGC’s naval arm) reportedly ignored the pleas, forcing the Sanmar Herald and a second ship, the Jag Arnav, to flee westward under a hail of gunfire.
The attack comes just hours after Tehran announced the waterway was back under "intense management," effectively ending the brief window of free passage and sending global energy markets into a tailspin.
The fallout was immediate in New Delhi.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Fathali for an emergency "demarche" on Saturday, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri expressing deep concern over the safety of Indian seafarers.
India, which relies heavily on this route for its energy security, reminded Tehran that they had previously promised safe passage for India-bound vessels, a promise that now lies in tatters.
While President Trump maintains that "very good conversations" are happening behind the scenes, he issued a stern warning this morning: “Iran can’t blackmail us.”
With the current ceasefire set to expire this Wednesday, April 22, and Pakistan frantically trying to broker a last-minute deal in Islamabad, the situation in the Strait has reached a breaking point.
As of Saturday afternoon, the IRGC has declared the Strait a restricted zone, mandating that all ships receive specific transit permits and follow strict military navigation routes.
For the global economy, the "intense control" of the world's most important oil chokepoint means prices at the pump are likely headed for a historic spike.
Transparency notes
Published: Apr 18, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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