Donald Trump’s attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz is seemingly failing as several Iranian ‘ghost fleet’ vessels have managed to slip past the US military with millions of barrels of crude oil
14:18, 22 Apr 2026Updated 15:08, 22 Apr 2026
Donald Trump has ordered the US navy to block the Strait(Image: AP)
Donald Trump’s military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has suffered a major blow as dozens of Iranian vessels are said to have slipped past US surveillance.
It is reported around 34 Iranian oil tankers have managed to sneak past the US military blockade of the shipping canal, with 19 exiting the Persian Gulf under the nose of Trump’s navy and 15 vessels entering from the Arabian Sea.
According to The Financial Times, six of those tankers were transporting Iranian crude oil with 10.7 million barrels, approximately worth $910m (£675m).
Trump ordered the US navy to form a blockade of the global passageway, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil travels through, as well as Iranian ports in the ongoing stand-off over the strait.
US-Israeli forces launched ‘Operation Epic Fury’ against Tehran on February 28. Although Iran and the US agreed to a 14-day ceasefire, the agreement remains on tenterhooks as tensions boil over across the waters.
A cargo ship in the Persian Gulf towards the Strait on Wednesday(Image: AP)
The strait remains a major sticking point of the conflict and negotiations. The US intercepted and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship over the weekend, which saw Iran retaliate on Wednesday, claiming it seized two other cargo ships and attacked a third this morning.
Trump claimed on Sunday that the US navy fired, disabled and seized the Tehran ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman, which has apparently prompted the Iranian regime to retaliate.
In the aftermath of the attacks on three container ships, oil prices once again hiked with Brent crude futures rising up to $99.21 a barrel (£73.44).
Peace talks ground to a halt in Islamabad earlier this month, with both US and Iranian delegates returning home empty handed. Now, the POTUS has said he would extend the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, based on a request from Pakistan which has been mediating the talks.
Vice President JD Vance returned home empty-handed in the last round of peace talks with Iran(Image: Getty Images)
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “We have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.
“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”
But Iran is said to have rejected Trump’s offer of a ceasefire extension this week, while the US objective appears to be to continue choking Iranian.
Vice President JD Vance scrapped plans to attend Islamabad again for a second round of negotiations, citing a lack of response from Tehran about whether its side of delegates would attend. However, Air Force Two remains poised to fly the VP out should the sides agree to another meeting.