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Iranian Regime Gunboats Open Fire, Indian Supertanker Among Ships Forced to Retreat

Iranian Regime Gunboats Open Fire, Indian Supertanker Among Ships Forced to Retreat

publish time

18/04/2026

publish time

18/04/2026

Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil fired

TEHRAN, April 18: Two vessels, including an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. were forced to reverse course while transiting the Strait of Hormuz after being approached by naval units of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to shipping monitor TankerTrackers.

The group said audio recordings from the incident suggest IRGC gunboats fired shots during the encounter, prompting the vessels to head back westward. One of the ships was identified as a very large crude carrier transporting about two million barrels of Iraqi oil.

The development adds to rising maritime tensions in the Gulf as Iran continues to assert control over traffic through the vital oil corridor amid ongoing regional conflict. TankerTrackers also noted that India continues to import Iranian oil, underscoring the complex dynamics surrounding enforcement and compliance.