A UK agency revealed that Iranian military gunboats fired weapons at an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran reimposed control measures over the waterway, with a container ship also attacked.
On 18 Apr 2026, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that gunboats of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) opened fire on an oil tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s renewed enforcement of blockade measures, accusing the United States of repeatedly violating trust.
UKMTO stated it received direct notification from the oil tanker's captain, who reported that two IRGC gunboats approached within about 20 nautical miles (approximately 37 kilometers) off Oman's coast, and confirmed there was no radio warning before the vessel was fired upon.
UKMTO did not disclose the name of the attacked vessel but posted on X that "the oil tanker and its crew are safe."
A few hours later, UKMTO further reported that a container ship was attacked with an "unknown explosive device," causing damage to some containers about 25 nautical miles (roughly 46 kilometers) off Oman's coast; however, the agency did not specify who was responsible for this attack.
Both incidents occurred after Iran announced renewed restrictions on navigation through the Strait of Hormuz in response to a statement by US President Donald Trump on Friday, declaring that the US would continue to blockade shipments using Iranian ports.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:cnn