Nine Vessels Crossed Hormuz in 3 Days
Iran reports quiet night as US strikes pause, but Gulf tensions persist
A vessel is seen in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Reuters.
For the first time in nearly two weeks, Iran reported no overnight US airstrikes, marking a potential lull in a string of nightly attacks. However, the broader situation across the Gulf remains fraught, with recent confrontations over the strategic Strait of Hormuz keeping regional tensions on edge.
Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for Iran's health ministry, posted on X early Saturday that the country had experienced a "peaceful night" with no reported attacks. The US Central Command, which had confirmed strikes on each of the previous 13 nights, has not yet responded to requests for comment and did not announce any new military action.
The apparent halt in strikes comes as Iran continues to assert control over maritime traffic in the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced Saturday that its naval forces had intercepted four vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours.
According to a statement carried by state television, the ships were trying to pass through the strait via an "illegal and unsafe route" in the southern area. The IRGC said warning shots were fired, prompting the vessels to alter their course. In recent weeks, Iran has targeted tankers using a route along the Omani coast, pressuring them to enter Iranian waters and pay for safe passage instead.
US President Donald Trump acknowledged that Iran has shown more seriousness in ongoing talks, though he did not rule out a major military response. Maritime tensions have also spread beyond the Gulf, with reports of an incident involving a tanker in the Gulf of Oman and a US claim that it disabled a vessel attempting to breach its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia briefly issued security alerts in Jazan and Yanbu, and coalition forces struck Houthi targets in Yemen. As the situation evolves, all eyes remain on the waterway that carries a significant share of the world's oil supply.
Reuters adds:
On Friday, one more laden very large crude carrier (VLCC) — Romania Prosperity — appeared off Fujairah outside the strait with Murban crude, though its destination is so far unknown, and two empty soft commodity bulk carriers exited the strait into the Gulf.
(Source: Gulf news and Reuters)
