After briefly restoring access, Iran has once again shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, citing the continued presence of a US naval blockade on its ports. The reversal was confirmed by Iran’s military in a statement carried by state media, signaling a rapid deterioration in already fragile conditions.

The strait, responsible for the transit of roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and petroleum products, had only reopened on Friday after being largely inaccessible during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, a disruption that triggered one of the most severe energy shocks in recent history.

Tehran framed the latest closure as a direct response to what it described as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that Iran’s navy stands prepared to deliver what he called new bitter defeats to its adversaries.

Two vessels report gunfire while attempting Hormuz crossing 

Commercial shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz faced renewed disruption on Saturday, as Iranian naval forces issued radio warnings instructing vessels not to proceed, according to shipping sources. The development came just a day after mariners had been told that transit would resume under tightly controlled conditions set by Tehran, before Iran appeared to reverse its decision to reopen the critical waterway.

Amid the confusion, several vessels attempting to cross the strategic corridor encountered resistance, with two ships reporting they had come under gunfire. In a separate incident, a tanker was also fired upon, with the UK Maritime Trade Operations center saying two gunboats believed to be linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire roughly 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

Iranian state media, citing the Supreme National Security Council, said Tehran’s control over the strait could extend to requiring payments for security, safety, and environmental protection services. In a separate report, state television quoted the same body as saying the US had put forward new proposals following talks mediated by Pakistan in recent days. While Tehran is said to be reviewing those proposals, it has not yet issued a response.

Trump warns Iran against ‘blackmail’ over Hormuz closure

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned Iran against attempting to pressure Washington by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz again, saying such actions would not be accepted. Speaking at a White House event, he said the US was engaged in ongoing discussions with Tehran but rejected any suggestion that Iran could use the strategic waterway as leverage.

On Friday, Trump referred to “some pretty good news” regarding Iran, though he did not provide further details. He also warned that hostilities could resume if a peace agreement is not reached by Wednesday, when the current two-week ceasefire is set to expire.

Separately, Iran had briefly reopened the Strait of Hormuz following a US-brokered 10-day ceasefire agreement announced on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon. The deal came after Israeli forces moved into parts of southern Lebanon amid escalating clashes involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, which entered the conflict earlier in March.

The conflict with Iran erupted on February 28 following a coordinated US-Israeli strike on the Islamic Republic, triggering a wider regional escalation that has since spread to Israeli operations in Lebanon. The fighting has resulted in thousands of casualties and contributed to a sharp rise in oil prices, driven in part by the effective disruption of the Strait of Hormuz.