Inside the 2026 Hormuz crisis: How Iran, Trump, and a global naval standoff brought Gulf shipping to the brink

Region 07-05-2026 | 13:37

Inside the 2026 Hormuz crisis: How Iran, Trump, and a global naval standoff brought Gulf shipping to the brink

Inside the high-stakes naval standoff that threatened the world’s oil supply.
Inside the 2026 Hormuz crisis: How Iran, Trump, and a global naval standoff brought Gulf shipping to the brink
Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz, (AFP).
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February 28, 2026


- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announces the closure of the Strait of Hormuz

 

 

March 1, 2026


- Major shipping companies suspend their operations in the Gulf

 

- An oil tanker sinks after being targeted

 

 

March 2, 2026

 


- The Revolutionary Guard attacks the oil tanker 'Athe Nova'

 

- Tehran threatens to 'burn any ship' attempting to pass

 

 

March 4, 2026

 


- The Revolutionary Guard declares 'complete control' over Hormuz

 

- Kpler Platform: Tanker movements through the strait have decreased by 90 percent

 

- Oman's navy rescues the crew of a ship hit by two missiles

 

 

March 5, 2026


- 20,000 sailors and 15,000 passengers stranded in the Gulf due to the closure of the strait

 

 

March 6, 2026

 


- Washington: Our navy will soon escort ships through the strait

 

- 4 dead in the targeting of the ship 'Mussafah 2'

 

 

March 7, 2026

 


- Only 9 commercial ships have been spotted crossing the strait since March 2

 

- The Revolutionary Guard: We are waiting for the American forces that will escort the ships

 

- Iran announces targeting an oil tanker in the Gulf

 

 

March 11, 2026

 


- Donald Trump: We bombed 28 Iranian ships for planting mines

 

- The Revolutionary Guard: We targeted a ship flying the Liberian flag and a Thai tanker

 

 

 

March 12, 2026


- The Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei calls to keep Hormuz closed

 

- The Iranian Foreign Ministry: We allowed ships from some countries to pass

 

 

March 13, 2026

 


- 'Lloyd's': Only 77 ships have crossed since the war began

 

- Trump calls for other countries to send ships to secure the strait

 

 

March 17, 2026

 


- Iran allows ships from 'friendly countries' to pass

 

- Tehran: The situation in Hormuz will not return to what it was before the war

 

 

March 19, 2026


- Iranian lawmakers propose imposing fees on the passage of cargo ships

 

 

March 21, 2026


- More than 20 countries express readiness to participate in efforts to secure the strait after the war

 

 

March 22, 2026

 


- Trump threatens to destroy Iran's energy infrastructure if Hormuz is not opened within 48 hours

 

- Iranian forces threaten a complete closure of the strait if energy facilities are targeted

 

 

April 7, 2026

 


- Russia and China use their veto in the Security Council against a project to reopen Hormuz

 

- Trump threatens to 'wipe out an entire civilization' if Iran does not end the war

 

- A two-week ceasefire is announced

 

 

April 13, 2026


- The United States imposes a naval blockade on Iranian ports after talks in Pakistan

 

 

April 18, 2026


- Tehran re-closes the strait after a brief opening and conditions lifting the blockade first

 

 

April 22, 2026


- The Revolutionary Guard seizes two ships attempting to cross Hormuz

 

 

May 4, 2026

 


- U.S. destroyers enter the Gulf as part of the 'Project Freedom' mission to escort ships

 

- The Revolutionary Guard fires at them

 

 

May 6, 2026


- Trump halts the 'Project Freedom' mission

 

- Talks about progress in negotiations with Iran