At least one tanker with apparent ties to Iranian shipping navigated through the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday after the United States started enforcing a naval blockade aimed at ships entering or leaving Iranian ports.
This created an immediate test of how strictly Washington plans to monitor the waterway. The Associated Press reported that the tanker Rich Starry changed its course and passed through the strait after some vessels had initially turned back. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command stated that no ships had crossed the blockade in its first 24 hours.
The U.S. military announced Tuesday that six merchant ships followed orders to turn back and return to Iranian ports after President Donald Trump ordered the blockade. This restriction affects ships going to or from Iran, including all Iranian ports on the Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
Over 10,000 U.S. personnel, more than a dozen warships, and dozens of aircraft are involved in the enforcement. The military also warned that vessels entering or leaving the blockaded area without permission could face interception, diversion, or capture. Humanitarian cargo can still move through after inspection.
pic.twitter.com/WIbErsdgiI 🚨 NEW: United States Central Command gives 24-hour update on Strait of Hormuz blockade
ZERO ships from Iranian ports made it through
6 ships turned around voluntarily
10,000+ U.S. service members involved
100+ aircraft deployed
12 warships in operation…
— Stephen Gardner (@StephenGardnerX) April 14, 2026
Despite this military account, some traffic was still reported moving through Hormuz. AP mentioned that the Rich Starry passed through the waterway on Tuesday after aborting an earlier exit attempt on Monday.
The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control lists the vessel as linked to Iranian shipping. Maritime tracking data indicated it was headed for Sohar, Oman, outside the strait. Lloyd’s List data cited by AP showed that a Chinese shipping company owns the tanker, which is ultimately bound for China.
This distinction is important because the U.S. blockade, as described by Reuters, targets maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports rather than completely closing the strait. Reuters also reported that Britain’s maritime agency informed that neutral vessels already inside Iranian ports received a grace period to leave.
This may explain why ship movements continued to face close scrutiny, even as the Pentagon described the initial phase of the operation as successful.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most vital energy corridors. Reuters said it is a key waterway used to transport about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. Threats to shipping there have driven oil prices sharply higher since the U.S. and Israel began their conflict with Iran on February 28.
China just drew a line at the Strait of Hormuz.
The Chinese Defense Ministry says Chinese ships will continue moving through the Strait freely. China has energy and trade agreements with Iran. They will not be intercepted. pic.twitter.com/qBq2e0bLx8
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) April 14, 2026
AP also reported Tuesday that the International Energy Agency now expects oil demand to decrease this year after adjusting previous forecasts, citing war damage to energy infrastructure and the closure of Hormuz as significant disruptions.
Despite these tensions, diplomatic efforts continue. AP reported that Trump suggested a second round of U.S.-Iran talks might take place within days, with Pakistan trying to bring both sides together before the current ceasefire expires on April 22.
U.N. Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres also urged for negotiations to persist and called for respect for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
For the moment, the passage of at least one Iran-linked tanker through the chokepoint shows that even with a large U.S. naval operation active, the boundary between a port blockade and controlling the strait remains contested in practice.
