Published Wednesday, April 22, 2026
- The UK Maritime Trade Operations Center reports that two ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning.
- This comes after US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire on Tuesday for peace talks to continue in Pakistan.
- The IRGC says that any passage of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz should be with their explicit permission.
USS Abraham Lincoln policing the U.S. blockade operations in the Strait of Hormuz| Getty Images
On Wednesday morning, Iran attacked two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This comes even after the US President moved to extend Wednesday’s ceasefire as diplomats scramble to find a lasting solution in the USA-Israel vs. Iran war.
The Straight of Hormuz attack happened eight nautical miles off the Iranian coast, according to reports from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The organization has additionally reported an “increased level of activity” around the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing peace talks.
Everyone on the targeted ship is said to be safe and accounted for. No serious damage was sustained by the vessel. Another attack is said to have taken place 15 miles northeast of Oman. A gunboat belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps cornered a container ship and fired on it. The bridge was reported to have sustained “heavy damage’ but all the crew members escaped unharmed.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy later claimed responsibility. They said on state media that the attacks were in response to “maritime violations” by the two ships and that they had successfully seized the vessels. While President Donald Trump chose to extend the ceasefire, Iranian leaders have yet to send in a unified proposal that will lead to the end of the war.
On Monday, Vice President JD Vance postponed his trip to Pakistan for a second attempt at peace talks with diplomats from Iran. Earlier, before his cancellation, the Iranian state media had reported that Tehran negotiators would not attend the talks. With no end in sight for the war, oil prices are back to record highs with Brent crude trading at $99.97 per barrel.
Iran’s continued chokehold of the Strait of Hormuz essentially disconnects global oil and gas movement between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The ongoing attacks have reignited fears of long-term economic shocks. The World Bank expects global economic growth to slow by 0.3 to 0.4 percentage points if the war ends early, and 1 percentage point if it’s prolonged.
Economic experts expect inflation to rise by as much as 300 basis points if the Iran war continues. So far, the war has claimed thousands of lives and disrupted global air travel and supplies of essential goods, oil, gas, and fertilizer.
Pakistan and China have consistently pushed for a speedy resolution of competing interests to end the war for good. As both a US and Iranian ally, Pakistan is leveraging its unique position to ensure that they arrive at a “lasting and durable” agreement in the negotiations. Trump is said to have extended Wednesday’s ceasefire sunset at the behest of the Pakistani Prime Minister. The extension is reportedly open-ended to allow more time for negotiations.
