Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Iran Denies US Hotline, Ceasefire Collapses After Drone Strike on Ship

Iran's Warning: Bypass Approved Routes and 'Will Be Dealt With'

On June 25, 2026, the IRGC Navy issued a forceful statement declaring that safe passage through the Strait is only possible via routes officially designated by Iran, and that vessels using unauthorized routes "will be dealt with" . Iran's top diplomat reiterated on June 28 that any attempt by shipping to bypass Iran's preferred route would "increase tensions" . This comes as Iran objects to a new Omani-facilitated alternative route created without Tehran's approval .

Ceasefire Unraveling: Drone Strike, US Retaliation, Further Escalation

On June 25, the IRGC struck the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely with a one-way attack drone approximately 8 nautical miles southeast of Dahit, Oman, damaging the ship's bridge but causing no casualties . The attack was the most serious test yet of a fragile interim understanding reached just a week earlier between the US and Iran to end hostilities and reopen the waterway .

In response, on June 26, US Central Command (CENTCOM) struck four Iranian missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites along the Strait and on Qeshm Island . Vice President JD Vance warned that further Iranian attacks "would be met with force" .

Iran responded by striking another commercial vessel, the M/T Kiku, on June 27, prompting a fresh round of US strikes . President Trump condemned Iran's actions as a "foolish violation" of the ceasefire .

Competing Northern and Southern Shipping Corridors

Iran has asserted control over the Strait by designating its own approved transit lanes and warning vessels away from any alternative routes . Oman has backed a separate southern bypass route intended to allow shipping outside Iran's direct supervision, which the IRGC has labeled "highly dangerous" and "unacceptable" . The result is a de facto competition between Iran-controlled northern passages and Omani-facilitated southern alternatives, with Iran threatening action against any vessel using unauthorized paths.

Stranded Vessels, Crew, and Mine-Clearing Efforts

The crisis, which began with the US-Israel air campaign against Iran on February 28, 2026, largely blocked the Strait for months . Iran had cited sea mines in the main shipping channel as a justification for announcing alternative routes in April 2026 . The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) had been running an evacuation plan for stranded ships, but paused it after the June 25 drone attack to reconfirm safety guarantees . The Washington Institute notes that "uncertain mine threats" remain a significant obstacle to a full return to normal navigation .

Note: The available sources do not provide specific numbers of stranded vessels and crew, nor a detailed status of international mine-clearing operations.