1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
ConflictsIran

Iran seizes two container ships

April 23, 2026

Tehran said it had captured two container ships seeking to exit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz. Both Iran and the US are now using the vitally important shipping lane as leverage.

https://p.dw.com/p/5CjPT

Tensions are rising again in the Strait of Hormuz , a key global shipping route. Iranian  state TV aired images of Revolutionary Guard forces seizing two container ships, saying they lacked permits and threatened maritime security. A third vessel was reportedly fired on. Montenegro confirmed four of its sailors are on one ship. The US says it seized an oil tanker linked to Iranian smuggling and is maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Washington warns the strait could remain disrupted for months.