A scene of absolute terror prevails in the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran has launched an unprecedented wave of attacks, turning international navigation into a fire zone. In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global shipping industry, the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) "riddled" the bridge of the containership "EPAMINONDAS," owned by shipowner George Youroukos, leading it into captivity. With a cynical announcement, Iran makes clear that Tehran's "maritime law" is now enforced by arms, sowing panic in supply chains and triggering an international alarm over the fate of crews in the clutches of Iranian commandos.
Gunfire against three ships within hours
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), at least three container ships came under fire in the Strait of Hormuz today, Wednesday (22/4/2026). It began with the "EPAMINONDAS," followed by a second container ship that came under fire approximately eight nautical miles west of Iran, and finally, a third Liberian-flagged container ship came under fire while crossing the Hormuz.
The announcement of the Revolutionary Guard
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it proceeded with the seizure of two ships in Hormuz, on the grounds that they violated the country's rules for transiting the waterway. According to the statement issued by the Navy to state media, the Revolutionary Guard identified the vessels as the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, which were sailing under the flags of Israel and Greece, respectively. The Navy claimed that the vessels attempted to exit the strait without authorization, "committing repeated violations, interfering with navigation systems, and endangering maritime safety." It further added that the two ships are being escorted to Iranian territorial waters for inspection of their cargo and documents. The IRGC Navy made no mention of the third ship allegedly seized earlier in the day. Conversely, the Greek Ministry of Shipping maintains that the "Epaminondas" has not been captured by the Revolutionary Guard.
The attack on "EPAMINONDAS"
According to the security firm Diaplous, the master of the "EPAMINONDAS" reported that an IRGC military craft approached the ship without prior radio communication and then opened fire. According to the same information, all crew members are safe. The ship had departed from the port of Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates bound for Mundra, India. According to the UKMTO, the incident occurred today, Wednesday (22/4/2026), approximately 15 nautical miles northwest of the coast of Oman. 
The Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that "Iran is enforcing maritime law on a container ship that ignored warnings. Iranian armed forces opened fire on a container ship after it repeatedly ignored warnings, causing significant damage to the vessel, according to a report by the UKMTO."
According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, operational control of the transit corridors is now directly in the hands of Iranian operational units, and any maritime passage is possible only within the specified safety rules. As reported, a limited and controlled route had been designed in the first stage for the passage of commercial ships in the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow corridor about three kilometers wide, where passage occurred only with full coordination with Iran's naval forces.
Second strike within a few hours
However, the attack on the "EPAMINONDAS" appears to have been the first part of a coordinated operation. According to the UKMTO, just three hours later (at 06:38 UTC), a second incident occurred, as another cargo ship came under fire about eight nautical miles west of the Iranian coast. The master of the second vessel reported that the ship is immobilized at sea, while the crew is safe..
Iran breaks the US blockade
At the same time that Iran is blocking Western ships from Hormuz, Iranian tankers are breaking the US blockade. At least two fully loaded Iranian tankers sailed from the Persian Gulf and bypassed the American blockade this week, as part of a flotilla that managed to maneuver around warships and deliver approximately 9 million barrels of oil to the market.
The Hero II and Hedy, two Iranian-flagged very large crude carriers (VLCCs), are the latest spotted in satellite imagery moving beyond the line set by the US and entering the Arabian Sea on April 20, according to data firm Vortexa. The pair can together carry up to 4 million barrels of oil. The exit of the loaded tankers demonstrates the limits of US efforts to block Tehran's crude exports—which US President Donald Trump described as a "huge success"—and to pressure an otherwise resilient Iranian regime into concessions. Since the blockade began last week, the US Navy has seized an Iran-linked cargo ship and conducted a boarding of a sanctioned tanker in waters east of Sri Lanka, expanding its target area.
Vortexa data suggests that Iranian exports continued even amid American threats, with at least 34 tankers and gas carriers linked to Iran crossing the Strait and the line of the US blockade. This line extends from the coast of Oman near Ras al Hadd, northeast toward the Iran-Pakistan border, according to a map featured in an online video shared by the US Navy. Of the ships that crossed the line since the beginning of last week, 19 were heading out of the Persian Gulf, with 17 of them carrying cargo.
Vortexa identified the shipments using satellite imagery, as ships seeking to bypass American forces typically turn off their transponders. The Hero II was last seen more than a month ago sailing north in the Straits of Malacca, while the Hedy last transmitted its position off Khor Fakkan in late February. The final destination of these two shipments was not clear. The vast majority of Iran's crude exports end up in China, although India received two cargoes of Iranian crude in recent weeks before the US waiver expired.
Other ships are also testing the US Navy. The G Summer, a small US-sanctioned LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) carrier, crossed the strait on Tuesday, and vessel tracking data shows it has now passed the boundary where the US Navy stated it is conducting a blockade. A Gambia-flagged cargo ship, the Lian Star, which passed through Hormuz on Tuesday (21/4/2026), is also now near the limit, sailing close to the Iranian coast.
The Atlantis II, a long-range fuel tanker under American sanctions, began sailing toward the Strait late Tuesday and is now near Larak Island, located in Hormuz, according to tracking data. It was not possible to immediately determine if the ship was carrying cargo. The LPG Sevan is also approaching Hormuz, despite declaring Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates as its destination. The LPG tanker has carried Iranian cargoes in the past. Meanwhile, the medium-range tanker Ocean Jewel, which has no known links to Iran, is near them, suggesting Chinese ownership and crew.
The shipping database Equasis shows Al Anchor Ship Management FZE in the United Arab Emirates as the manager of the Atlantis II, while its owner shares the same address as Al Anchor. The LPG Sevan is owned and managed by Dubai-based Anka Energy & Logistics Co., while the owner and operator of the Ocean Jewel is Shanghai-based Ocean Jewel Shipping Co. Ltd.
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