Iran Fires Warning Shots at Two Ships

Iran fired warning shots at two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on July 13, officials said. State media reported two people were killed and three injured in earlier US strikes; Tehran accused the United States of obstructing negotiations over the waterway. Reaction pending.

Two ships near Hormuz targeted

Officials said the warning shots came as tensions between Iranian and US forces have intensified in the Gulf. European governments — Germany, France and Britain — publicly condemned the Iranian actions in the waterway, officials said. Authorities did not provide precise coordinates or the names of the vessels involved.

Commercial operators and insurers monitor such incidents closely because the Strait of Hormuz is a major conduit for seaborne energy flows. Shipping firms typically alter routing or deploy security measures after attacks or warnings; traders use those signals to price short-term risk into oil and bunker markets, officials said.

Markets and maritime authorities will watch shipping notices, tanker AIS traffic and official statements from Tehran and Washington over the coming day. Analysts and traders will assess any disruption to tanker schedules by July 14, 2026, to judge whether the episode produces sustained upward pressure on freight rates or crude prices.