US-sanctioned tanker appears to attempt Hormuz transit amid near standstill

A US-sanctioned supertanker carrying Iranian crude appeared to attempt a transit through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, even as traffic through the strategic waterway remained largely stalled.

The very large crude carrier Yuri was seen near Iran’s Larak Island after moving toward the strait late Thursday and passing the island, according to ship-tracking data.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, however, reported that the tanker had already crossed the strait and anchored east of Larak Island.

The Yuri was sanctioned by the US in 2024 over its role in transporting Iranian oil.

US Central Command said on the US social media platform X that 33 vessels have been redirected since the start of the US naval blockade.

At the same time, Iran has tightened its control over the waterway, with reports of commercial ships being fired upon and at least two vessels seized.

The parallel restrictions imposed by both sides have sharply reduced traffic through the strait, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

A bulk carrier that had delivered food to Iran was also observed sailing toward Hormuz near the Yuri on Thursday before making a U-turn and heading back into the Persian Gulf.

Several hours earlier, a container ship that had departed from Bandar Abbas was seen sailing south into the Gulf of Oman after entering the strait four days earlier.

Separately, another US-sanctioned tanker, the Iranian-flagged Helm, reappeared on tracking platforms in the Strait of Malacca near Singapore while loaded with crude and without a clear destination.