Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, underscoring persistent risks to global shipping and complicating efforts to restart US‑Iran negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. Iranian state media attributed the attacks to the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The incident came after US President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran that was due to expire Wednesday and said the United States would continue to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports. The attacks highlighted the dangers to navigation in the strait, a critical choke point through which about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas flows in peacetime.
A UK Maritime Trade Operations notice said one of the strikes targeted a container ship at about 7:55 a.m.; the Guard gunboat reportedly opened fire without hailing the vessel. The UKMTO reported no injuries and no environmental damage. Iran had not immediately acknowledged the assault.
The shooting follows recent maritime incidents, including US seizures of an Iranian container ship after it was struck over the past weekend and the boarding of an oil tanker linked to Iran’s trade in the Indian Ocean, further raising tensions in the region, AP reported.
Even if the ceasefire largely holds, analysts warn the conflict will continue to weigh on the global economy. The war has already pushed fuel prices higher worldwide and raised costs for food and other goods. Continued disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would deepen and broaden economic impacts and lengthen the recovery period.
Iran has not formally accepted the US announcement extending the ceasefire. An Iranian diplomat said talks would not resume while the US blockade remains in place.
Human toll and regional effects
Authorities report at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the war. Other reported casualties include more than 2,290 deaths in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 US service members across the region have also been killed, according to official tallies cited by AP.
Economic fallout
The conflict’s economic reverberations are beginning to show in official data. British consumer price inflation rose to an annual rate of 3.3% in March, up from 3.0% in February, with factory‑gate prices also climbing more than expected — developments Reuters linked in part to the war’s early effects on commodity and transportation costs.
International reactions
UN Secretary‑General António Guterres welcomed the US extension of the ceasefire as an “important step toward de‑escalation,” saying it could create “critical space for diplomacy and confidence‑building” between Washington and Tehran. The UN urged all parties to avoid actions that could undermine the pause and to engage constructively in negotiations, while expressing support for Pakistan’s role as a facilitator of talks, AP reported.
Regional partners reacted in different ways. The United Arab Emirates expressed gratitude after President Trump mentioned a possible currency swap with the country amid ongoing uncertainty. Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, thanked Trump for the ceasefire extension and said he hoped it would lead to a comprehensive peace deal.
US statements
On social media, President Trump said Iran privately wants the strait open so it can earn roughly $500 million a day and suggested Tehran’s public threats are aimed at saving face. He reiterated that the United States has the strait effectively blockaded. The White House also issued a formal statement announcing the ceasefire extension.
Outlook
With ceasefire talks stalled over the blockade and recent maritime attacks escalating tensions, prospects for a near‑term diplomatic breakthrough remain uncertain. International officials continue to call for restraint and renewed negotiations, while shipping and energy markets watch the Strait of Hormuz closely for further disruptions.
