Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday following a ceasefire in Lebanon, only to close it again hours later on Saturday, leaving commercial shipping in disarray.¹²

At least eight oil and gas tankers passed through the strait early Saturday morning after Iran's Friday announcement, according to maritime tracking data from Kpler.¹ The vessels included one crude oil tanker, four liquefied petroleum gas ships, two oil and chemical tankers, and one classified as an oil products vessel.¹

Iran's central military command announced Saturday morning that control over the strait had "returned to its previous status" and was now "under strict management and control" of Iranian forces, in response to the continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports.² The reversal followed US President Donald Trump's insistence that the American fleet blockade would continue until a peace agreement was reached.²

Commercial vessels attempting to transit the waterway came under fire from Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) on Saturday.³ The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported that IRGC members fired on a tanker, while security firm Vanguard Tech said the Guard threatened to "destroy" an empty cruise ship attempting to leave the Gulf.³ The tanker was identified as the Indian-flagged Sanmar Herald, which sustained damage to its bridge windows after two IRGC patrol boats approached and opened fire without radio contact, according to the captain.³ The crew and vessel were reported safe.³

Maritime tracking data showed that vessels en route to the strait quickly turned around following the closure announcement, with very few ships attempting passage by late Saturday.³ Multiple crude oil tankers were positioned near Iran's Larak Island, a checkpoint for vessels attempting to exit the Gulf.¹

The strait typically carries approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, but traffic had nearly stopped after war broke out on February 28 with American and Israeli attacks on Iran.¹ Friday's brief opening had lifted world markets and reduced oil prices before the renewed closure.²