Iran Seizes Ships in Hormuz as US Blockade Stalls Ceasefire Talks and Oil Prices Jump

Tensions between the United States and Iran remain unresolved despite President Donald Trump’s decision to prolong the fragile ceasefire, as Washington insists on maintaining its naval blockade of Iranian ports while Tehran refuses to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz under those conditions.

The maritime standoff deepened after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized two commercial vessels in the strait and reportedly fired on a third, marking the first such operation since the war began at the end of February. Iranian authorities said the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas were detained for what they described as maritime violations and attempts to leave the strait covertly.

Iranian media reported that the vessels were escorted toward Iranian shores, while shipping operators confirmed armed intervention. Technomar, which manages the Liberian-registered Epaminondas, said the ship was “approached and fired upon by a manned gunboat” near the coast of Oman, causing damage to the bridge. No crew injuries were reported.

The White House said the seizures did not violate the ceasefire because the ships were neither American nor Israeli. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “No, because these were not US ships, these were not Israeli ships. These were two international vessels.”

Trump, meanwhile, said he was satisfied with the current naval blockade and saw no reason to lift pressure on Tehran. According to the White House, he believes Iran remains in a weak negotiating position and has not imposed a deadline for a peace proposal, despite extending the ceasefire after mediation efforts involving Pakistan.

Iranian officials have strongly rejected that framework, insisting that talks cannot move forward while the blockade remains in place. Parliament speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said a real ceasefire was impossible without restoring maritime access.

“Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such flagrant breach of the ceasefire,” he wrote, arguing that Washington’s blockade itself violates the truce.

The standoff has major global consequences, as the Strait of Hormuz normally handles around 20% of the world’s traded oil. With shipping heavily disrupted, oil prices have surged sharply. Brent crude briefly rose above 5 per barrel before easing slightly, while West Texas Intermediate also climbed significantly. The conflict has pushed fuel prices higher worldwide and increased pressure on transport and food costs.

The European Union’s Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen warned that the disruption is costing Europe around 500 million euros per day, comparing the situation to past major energy crises. United Airlines has already announced fare increases of 15–20% and a reduction in planned 2026 capacity due to fuel costs.

In Washington, another sign of instability came from the Pentagon, which announced that US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan would leave office “effective immediately” without providing a reason for the sudden departure during one of the most sensitive naval confrontations in recent years.

At the same time, Iran announced the execution of Soltanali Shirzadi Fakhr, who was convicted of ties to the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq and cooperation with Israeli intelligence. According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, he had been a long-time member of the group and his death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court before being carried out.

In Lebanon, efforts are underway to preserve the separate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Lebanese officials are expected to request a one-month extension of the 10-day truce during talks in Washington involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

Lebanon is reportedly seeking “an end of Israel’s bombing and destruction in the areas where it is present, and a commitment to the ceasefire,” while President Joseph Aoun confirmed that contacts to extend the truce are ongoing.

Despite those efforts, Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon continued. A strike near al-Tayri killed journalist Amal Khalil and wounded photographer Zeinab Faraj after they were covering developments in the area. Lebanese officials said they fled into a nearby house after an initial strike, only for that building to be hit as well.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam described the targeting of journalists and obstruction of rescue efforts as war crimes. Wednesday became the deadliest day since the Lebanon ceasefire was announced, with at least five people killed.

Elsewhere in the region, two Palestinians, including a 14-year-old schoolboy, were killed in the occupied West Bank after settlers reportedly opened fire near a school.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also warned that the broader US-Israeli war against Iran is beginning to weaken Europe, saying that unless the crisis is handled with peace as the priority, the consequences would become far more severe for the entire region.