Strait of Hormuz Tensions Escalate: US Claims "Zero Breakthrough," Iran Bypasses Blockade with Supertanker

Published: Apr 15, 2026 20:09

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The offensive and defensive game over the Strait of Hormuz is entering a new phase. On the first day of the blockade's implementation, the US military claimed a "zero breakthrough," but the actual situation was far more complex than this characterization suggested.According to Xinhua News Agency, Iran would use alternative ports other than its southern ports to bypass the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, according to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency, a US-sanctioned Iranian supertanker traversed the Strait of Hormuz from the open sea into Iranian waters with its positioning system kept on throughout the voyage, "arriving at its destination smoothly." The vessel was described as a very large crude carrier capable of transporting 2 million barrels of crude oil.

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