Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps opened fire on at least two vessels in waters near Oman on Saturday, according to a report citing a U.S. official, as tensions escalated again around the Strait of Hormuz following renewed Iranian moves to close the critical shipping lane.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization reported that two IRGC gunboats approached a tanker roughly 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman around 1 p.m. local time and fired without provocation, based on information from the tanker’s master.

Audio recordings indicated that two Indian vessels were also forced to retreat from the strait following the gunfire.

One of those ships was identified as an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil, according to an X account that tracks maritime traffic.

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The incident led India to summon Iran’s ambassador, expressing “deep concern” and urging Tehran to immediately restore safe passage for its vessel through the waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important shipping routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies typically moving through the narrow passage.

Saturday’s confrontation marked a further escalation in a standoff that has intensified in recent days, as Iran sent mixed signals about whether the strait was open or closed.

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Iran had stated on Friday that the strait had been reopened, while also warning it would close it again in response to a U.S.-led naval blockade.

The blockade, launched earlier in the week after diplomatic talks stalled, has placed U.S. and Iranian forces in close proximity.

American warships have been shadowing tankers in the region, while Iranian officials have asserted authority over which vessels may pass.

Iran’s joint military command said Saturday, “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.”

The IRGC also warned that transit would continue to be blocked as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in place.

President Donald Trump addressed the situation at the White House, referencing Iran’s repeated threats to shut down the strait.

“They wanted to close up the strait again, as they’ve been doing for years,” Trump said. “They can’t blackmail us.”

Trump also commented on ongoing diplomatic efforts despite the developments at sea.

“We have very good conversations going on. It’s working out very well,” he said.

“They got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Nobody ever took them on — we took them on.”

The president suggested that global shipping patterns were already adapting to disruptions in the strait.

“In fact, a lot of the ships are coming up to Texas … in Louisiana,” he said.

“They got used to it. Maybe they’ll keep doing it.”

U.S. Central Command has not directly addressed the reported gunfire but confirmed enforcement of the maritime blockade.

In a post on X, the command said, “Since commencement of the blockade, 23 ships have complied with direction from US forces to turn around.”

“American forces are enforcing a maritime blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas,” the statement added.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads Iran’s parliament National Security Commission, said the strait was “returning to the status quo,” which he had previously described as requiring ships to obtain Iranian naval authorization and pay tolls before transit.

Following the reported attack, U.S. Central Command shared images of helicopters and naval vessels patrolling the area, describing a “visible presence in support of freedom of navigation.”

The command did not respond to questions about whether the Navy would take further action.

Iran has claimed it moved to re-close the strait because the U.S. did not lift its blockade, though that condition had not been publicly reported as tied to the shipping lane.

Trump did not specifically address the gunfire but expanded on Iran’s past actions involving U.S. forces, particularly during the Iraq War.

“A lot of our people have been killed,” he said. “A lot of your fellow soldiers have been killed over the years by Iran — the roadside bomb.”

He referenced Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020.

“Soleimani — I killed Soleimani — making the explosive form penetrators,” Trump said.

“He was the father of the roadside bomb, essentially.”

Trump described his administration’s posture as a departure from prior approaches.

“They’ve gotten away with murder for 47 years and not getting away with it anymore,” he said.

He also commented on Iran’s military capabilities and leadership while discussing ongoing engagement.

“They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no leaders,” Trump said.

“Actually, their leaders — it is regime change. You call that enforced regime change — but we’re talking to them.”

The incident followed weeks of increased maritime activity in the region. Since late February, multiple commercial vessels have been struck by drones, missiles, or other projectiles in and around the strait.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has previously warned it would target ships attempting to pass without its approval.

Despite the latest confrontation, some vessels have continued transit attempts, while others have remained in the Gulf awaiting clearance as shipping companies, insurers, and governments assess the situation.

Trump indicated that further updates could come soon.

“We’ll have some information by the end of the day … we’re talking to them, and we’re taking a tough stand,” he said.

Diplomatic efforts remain ongoing, including backchannel discussions involving Pakistani intermediaries.

Those efforts are aimed at arranging a second round of talks between the United States and Iran, though no formal commitments have been announced.

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