Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Halt After Iran Seizes First Vessels

By Weilun Soon

Apr 23, 2026 (Bloomberg) –Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ground to a halt on Thursday after Iran fired on commercial ships and said it had seized at least two vessels — a first in nearly eight weeks of war.

Only one ship, bulk carrier LB Energy, was seen moving through the waterway early Thursday, with none seen entering. Products tanker Ocean Jewel is currently idling at the entrance to the corridor, having aborted a transit not long after Iranian forces began firing at three ships.

Two of those attacked vessels, the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, were